Australian all-rounder Mickey Marsh’s long awaited return big carnival alliance (BBL) didn’t go as planned. The 33-year-old was dismissed for a golden duck in his first game in three years for Perth Scorchers.

The excitement at Optus Stadium was palpable as more than 30,000 fans turned out to watch the return of their hometown stars. Marsh, who last played for the Scorched Earth side in the BBL11 final, is expected to complement the batting line-up. But his comeback took a disappointing turn when Melbourne Renegades pacer Will Sutherland trapped him with his first delivery.

Marsh’s nightmare begins

Marsh walked in with high expectations and received a warm welcome from the Perth crowd. But the excitement quickly wore off. Sutherland, in hot form, flicked a long ball back to Marsh and beat him. Marsh walked away without much hesitation, acknowledging his fate and briefly considering a review.

The sack shocked the entire stadium and set the tone for a challenging night for the Scorchers.

GOLDEN DUCK 😮

Mitch Marsh in his return to the BBL goes after just one delivery from Will Sutherland! #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/s5JVi9fipH

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 7, 2025

Marsh reflects on his return

In a pre-match interview with Fox Cricket, Marsh expressed his excitement at returning to the Scorchers after a long international career.

“It’s been a long time coming. I obviously love playing for the Scorchers and it’s nice to come home after a big series. I love playing here,” he said.

Despite early setbacks, Marsh maintained his trademark sense of humour, introducing himself on air as a “former Test star”.

After the Terror Begins, the Scorcher’s Struggle

Marsh’s sacking isn’t the only blow to Perth. Rising star Cooper Connolly, who led the run game, was not far behind with a duck. Tom Rogers bowled the second pitch to him, further deflating the crowd.

Captain Ashton Turner also failed miserably with just 8 runs, leaving the Scorchers trailing 47-4 after 7 overs.

Marsh returns to domestic cricket just a week after being dropped from Australia’s Test squad. His performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was not ideal, with scores of 9, 5, 4, 2 and 0 in the last five innings. He struggled with both bat and ball, leading to Bo Webster replacing him for the final Test.

To stay updated with all the latest cricket happenings, follow Cicada exist WhatsApp, Facebook, twitter, telegraph and Instagram