Mitchell Marsh's spot in a rebuilding Australia side is assured for at least the Boxing Day Test against West Indies but the all-rounder is feeling some heat to score runs to shore up his place.
The 24-year-old has been a virtual fixture since replacing Shane Watson after the first Ashes Test in July and has picked up 17 wickets at an average of 33.70 in his 11 matches.
His batting has been less noteworthy, however, and his top score in the last seven Tests was a 34 against New Zealand in the drawn match in Perth.
With Australia’s newly minted top order performing well this home summer, Marsh’s modest run has been glossed over.
Read more: UAE captain Khurram Khan named Associate and Affiliate Cricket of the Year
Circumstances have rarely called for a big score from the Western Australian, however.
Marsh has come in on the back of some monster totals, instructed by captain Steve Smith to smash quick runs before a declaration.
In the series-opener against West Indies in Hobart, he had to wait for the end of a record 449-run fourth wicket partnership between his brother Shaun and Adam Voges before getting a chance.
His innings of one lasted 11 balls before Smith declared.
Waiting for a chance to shine has had its frustrations but Marsh was just happy to have his spot guaranteed for the Melbourne Test starting Saturday by coach Darren Lehmann.
“It’s obviously very nice when you read that sort of stuff, for the coach to come out and say that,” Marsh told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
“There’s obviously been a little bit of pressure on me to score runs.
“I’ve tried not to take too much notice of it because, as a team, three out of the four Tests we’ve made over 500 in the first innings.”
The spotlight has fallen on Joe Burns and brother Shaun as two players who could make way for top order batsman Usman Khawaja, who is tipped for reinstatement after recovering from a hamstring strain.
Shaun Marsh scored 182 in Hobart and would be unlucky to miss out.
Burns has had a lean few Tests but his partnership with opener David Warner has been a success since the series-opener against New Zealand last month.
Mitchell Marsh said his older brother, dropped a number of times since making his 2011 debut in Sri Lanka, had learned not to worry about speculation over his place.
“Shaun has changed a lot as a person over the past couple of years,” Marsh said. “He doesn’t buy into what people say, he’s just extremely focused at the moment. You can see that in his batting, he’s batting absolutely beautifully.”
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New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
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Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
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Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
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While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
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Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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