Leeds: Four years ago, Mitchell Marsh declared after an Ashes Test at The Oval against England, "Most of Australia hates me right now...". In addition, it was the all-rounder's final Test outing before getting another chance to wear the baggy green during the third Test of the ongoing Ashes at Headingley. And while his performance with the bat upon returning to red-ball cricket may not have made him the "most-loved" Australian, it was more than enough to move him from the "hated by most" category.

With Australia struggling at 85/4 on Day 1 after being put in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes, Marsh, who took over for the injured Cameron Green for the third Test, slammed a run-a-ball 118.

"On a long tour you always get a chance at some stage, I just wanted to stay ready," Marsh told reporters after stumps. "It was a bit of a surprise and very unfortunate for Greeny."

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One needs to consider the circumstances of the game in order to emphasize the significance of Marsh's innings, which was his second Test century and first outside of Australia. On Day 1, 13 wickets were lost. Australia only has 145 when Marsh's contribution is subtracted from the total. After Marsh, Travis Head (39 points) was Australia's next highest scorer. The surface had sufficient bounce and sideways movement for both teams' seamers, but Marsh exploited both of those factors as well as Mark Wood's breakneck speed to smash his way to 17 fours and four sixes.

While a lot may have changed for Marsh the cricketer since 2019, his snappy one-liners and press-friendly demeanor remained largely unchanged.

Marsh joked that, due to his understudy role, he was the "first man to score an Ashes hundred on a UK holiday".

Comedian or cricketer? ????????????

Mitch Marsh fronted the media after scoring a century in his first Test match in four years and the results are priceless. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/ce1c57XSCr

— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) July 6, 2023

He added: "There's always times when you spend a bit of time away from the game where you think you might not get back.

"It's taken a lot of hard work, I chose to have ankle surgery and miss last summer to get on this tour knowing I was going to be Greeny's understudy. I'm really proud to get back."

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When asked how he maintained his morale while out of the Australia team, Marsh pointed to his Baggy Green cap and said: "I wanted to wear it one more time."

Marsh credited his upbringing on the hard wickets of Western Australia for coming out on top against express quick Wood.

Marsh said he "could lean on my experience of growing up at the WACA (the Western Australia Cricket Association ground in Perth) against fast bowling, sink or swim from a very early age."

But he wouldn't be drawn on his chances of playing the next Test in Manchester, joking: "I wouldn't mind going back to my UK holiday to be honest."

England closed on 68-3, with Marsh saying the game was "pretty evenly poised".

By dismissing England opener Zak Crawley before the conclusion of the first day's play, Marsh added the cherry on what easily ended up being the best day of his stop-and-start Test career.

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