When Shaun Marsh grabs at his dodgy hamstrings, all he can feel is trouble.
Marsh will miss the Perth Scorchers’ T20 Champions League campaign after injuring his hamstring during Australia’s one-day loss to England over the weekend.
Although the injury itself is minor, it continues a worrying trend of hamstring issues for the 30-year-old, who has suffered multiple tears during his stop-start career.
And the problem seems to run in the family, with his brother Mitch Marsh currently nursing his own major hamstring tear following an incident at training late last month.
Shaun Marsh has been in solid form since the tail-end of last year, and was on track to earn a dream Test recall for this summer’s Ashes series.
But the latest injury now means his window of opportunity to press his claims for Ashes selection is smaller.
Scorchers coach Justin Langer hopes Marsh will be able to return to action early next month.
But the talented left-hander can’t afford any more setbacks if he is to realise his Ashes dream.
“You always look at trends, and it’s worrying that he and Mitch are having these hamstring problems,” Langer said on Monday.
“Everyone knows what he can do with the bat. We’ve all seen it, particularly in the shorter version of the game.
“But you can’t make runs if you’re not on the field.
“Whether it affects his prospects, time will tell. That’s up to the selectors.
“But his best way of getting selected is by making a lot of runs, and he can’t do that if he’s in the rehab centre.”
The Scorchers will enter the T20 Champions League as rank underdogs following the loss of a host of their best players.
Shaun and Mitch Marsh join star paceman Pat Cummins (back) on the injured list.
And Perth will also be without veteran batsman Mike Hussey and all-rounder Nathan Coulter-Nile, who have been selected by their respective Indian Premier League teams.
The Scorchers fly out to India on Tuesday, and begin their Champions League campaign against the Highveld Lions on September 23.