Wednesday 1 July 2015 19:40, UK
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is taking nothing for granted on Ashes selection despite plundering a second successive century when making an unbeaten 136 against Essex in Chelmsford.
The 23-year-old followed up his 101 against Kent in Canterbury by putting the Essex attack to the sword after coming in at No 6 for the tourists on the opening day of the tour match.
Marsh brought up his century with a huge shot high over the River Stand boundary, the ball ending up lodged in the roof of Spinners Bar, as Australia ended the day at 440-6.
Fellow all-rounder Shane Watson also scored a rapid half-century with the pair thought to be competing for a starting spot in the first Ashes Test which starts in Cardiff next Wednesday.
Perth-born Marsh has seen his brother Shaun follow father Geoff into the Australia Test side, but intends to keep his feet firmly on the ground.
"It has been a nice start to the tour, and it is great to contribute to this team and hopefully I can continue to do so," he said.
"I am certainly not putting any pressure on myself, at the end of the day it does not matter where you bat or where you bowl, if you take enough wickets and make enough runs, the selectors are going to pick you at some stage.
"I am just enjoying it, it is a privilege to be on this tour.
"I feel like I am improving with my bowling, and hopefully I am getting up there, so I just have to keep working hard.
"There is so much history on this tour and if the opportunity does come, then we will go from there.
"I think I have matured, this is a great team to be around, hopefully I can keep improving.
"To follow in dad's footsteps, hopefully I get the chance to play in an Ashes Test, it is what every kid in Australia dreams about, but we will see."
Essex bowler Tom Moore, who has only played four first-class matches, made a dramatic impact in the morning session with two wickets in two balls in his first over, dismissing Chris Rogers before sending Australia captain Michael Clarke packing for a golden duck.
"It was amazing, we could not have asked for it to go any better," Moore said.
"We spoke about it this morning, dreaming big and things like that, and it seemed to work as in my first over I got a double wicket maiden.
"For my first game in front of a crowd like this at Chelmsford, with all my friends and family, to get the Aussie captain, it is a bit of a dream come true."
Watch the opening day of the Ashes Test. Coverage begins on July 8 at 10am on Sky Sports Ashes.
