Melbourne Renegades to miss Shaun Marsh's services for the next one or two games
Melbourne Renegades opener Shaun Marsh will miss his side's next one or two Big Bash fixtures, as confirmed by their coach Michael Klinger.
Marsh will miss the next game or two due to the birth of his third child. South African batsman Rilee Rossouw is also ruled out of the upcoming game against the Adelaide Strikers because of a hamstring issue.
With experienced players like Marsh and Rossouw set to miss the next game, Klinger has called on the youngsters to try and take the side out of their slump.
Klinger told cricket.com.au,
"A lot of our young guys will get opportunities. Rilee Rossouw has done his hamstring, Shaun Marsh is staying here [Perth] to have a baby, so he’s going to miss next at least one or two games."
“Guys like Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey – they’re going to have a chance to put their mark forward and do what a [Ollie] Davies at the same age has done at the [Sydney] Thunder and put their name up in headlights, not just be a contributor but actually be a match-winner. The opportunity for those guys will come in the next couple of games."
Shaun Marsh's unavailability will be a huge matter of concern for the Melbourne Renegades as he has been their top run-scorer.
Marsh has scored 247 runs in this season's BBL, and the next best for the Renegades is Aaron Finch, who has managed 132 runs.
Melbourne Renegades' woeful run of form
The Aaron Finch-led side are going through a woeful run of form as they have now lost six games in a row this season.
Not just the losses but the manner in which those defeats have come must be a concern for the Renegades team management.
Melbourne Renegades suffered 145-run and 129-run defeats against the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder respectively. They faced another heavy defeat in their last outing where they lost to the Perth Scorchers by 96 runs.
Check the updated Big bash points table 2021 here.
The Renegades have now suffered three of the six biggest losses (by runs) in BBL history.
Coach Michael Klinger's position could also be on the chopping block. Since he became the head coach in 2019, the Renegades have won just four of their last 21 games.
With Marsh now unavailable for the next game or two, Klinger and his team are in dire straits.
Will someone from the batting unit step up in Shaun Marsh's absence or will the Melbourne Renegades keep on spiralling downwards? We will soon find out.