WA allrounder Mitch Marsh will return to competitive bowling within two weeks in a significant step forward in his bid to reignite his stalled Test career.
Marsh underwent a reconstruction of his right shoulder in March after being hampered by the problem during the previous 12 months.
The 26-year-old has been playing for WA solely as a batsman so far this season, but he hopes to return to bowling duties in the Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria at the MCG, starting December 3.
"I'm off the full run-up," Marsh said of his recent training loads.
"With a couple of weeks to go in getting my intensity and workloads up, I'll be ready to go for the rest of the summer hopefully.
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"It's been a long nine months. There's various times in the rehab program when you get really frustrated and you just want to get back out there and play cricket again as an allrounder.
"But it's given me a real opportunity to work on my batting."
Marsh has been a polarising figure during his 21-Test career, with his hit-and-miss form with the bat often resulting in him copping widespread abuse on social media.
He averaged just 21.74 with the bat, passing 50 just once in his past 32 Test innings.
The new WA skipper has enjoyed his time out of the intense spotlight, but he would loving nothing more to return to the Test arena once his game and body are up to the task.
"For me, where my game's at right now, if I'm going to be the best No.6 in Australia, I've got to be knocking the door down in Sheffield Shield cricket," Marsh said.
"Whether that takes me another 12 months to get back in - I'm doing everything I can.
"I'm really enjoying playing for WA at the moment. It was a long 12 months in the spotlight there in that No.6 position.
"I didn't quite nail it. It's been nice to be out of the bubble for a few months."
Ironically, Marsh's brother Shaun has been selected for the No.6 spot in the Test team for the Ashes opener against England, starting at the Gabba on November 23.
But the long-term preference for Australian selectors is to have a genuine allrounder at No.6.
Mitch Marsh will be back in action when WA host Queensland in a crunch Shield clash at the WACA Ground starting on Friday.
The Warriors have lost their past two Shield matches, and will be without Test duo Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft against Queensland.
