Marsh remains ready to mix it up if Ashes call comes

Mitch Marsh is regarded as one of the best 'team men' in the Australian setup and while he is more than happy running the drinks for his teammates he would naturally much rather be out in the middle playing.

Marsh does not know when, or even if, that might be but is preparing as if he could play at any time. Time is running out to make an appearance as this series enters the final stage of the intense campaign.

Marsh picked up 1-33 in 11 overs on day one against Derbyshire and the allrounder backed it up with a team-high 74 batting at No.3 on day two to put the Australians in a commanding position at stumps on Friday.

Once play wraps up on Saturday, the Australians will head straight to Manchester to prepare for the fourth Test starting Wednesday.

Marsh is yet to play this series as Australia's selectors have opted for a balance of six specialist batsmen and four specialist bowlers, which has left the squad's sole allrounder on the sidelines mixing drinks, running out batting gloves and sub-fielding if required.

But should conditions require a fifth bowler, or the selectors shake up the stuttering batting order, Marsh says he is good to go if given the tap on the shoulder.

"For me personally, I've just been preparing to play and waiting for a chance and if not, I'll run the drinks the best I can," said Marsh in Derby on Friday evening.

"But hopefully I get a chance at some stage.

"It can be a long tour running the drinks, so I just wanted to get out there and have a bit of fun this week and play and get some time in the middle."

The 27-year-old has been a workhorse at training throughout the Ashes as the series bounces from city to city with a barely a week in the same location.

But Marsh has fronted up whenever required and has often made the most of optional training sessions to fine tune his evolving game.

On match eve in Leeds, knowing he was not going to play, Marsh marked out his run up on the practice wickets at Headingley, placed plastic cones on a god length and worked on his bowling with assistant coach Troy Cooley close by.

With bat in hand, Marsh is as powerful a straight-driver as there is in the game but planting that big front foot of his has got him in trouble in the past when opposing fast bowlers zero in on his front pad.

It is an aspect of his technique he continues to develop.

"Getting the magnet out of my front pad, that's what I'm usually working on," Marsh said when asked how he has been spending his time at practice.

"I think bowling over here and my role with the ball is about creating as much pressure as I can so I've been trying to hit that really competitive length.

"And my batting it's the same stuff, pretty simple; playing straight, keeping my eyes level, getting my front pad out of the way."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England defeat Australia by one wicket at Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval