Cricket World® Player Of The Week - Shaun Marsh

Cricket World® Player Of The Week - Shaun Marsh

Shaun Marsh.

©Action Images / Reuters / Andy Clark Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australian opener Shaun Marsh has been named as the Cricket World® Player Of The Week after he scored two half-centuries in the opening two One Day Internationals against South Africa.

Marsh hit 79 in 97 balls as Australia went down by three wickets in Melbourne but his 78 in 103 balls in the second match in Hobart helped set up a five-run win as Australia levelled the series.

The recent retirement of Matthew Hayden has put some pressure on Marsh at the top of the order, and with Shane Watson also injured, Australia first tried Mike Hussey and then newcomer David Warner opening up but while those two failed to make an impression, fellow left-hander Marsh did the business.

And while he admits he was disappointed not to convert one or both of those innings into an elusive first century, his performances were enough for him to win the weekly award.

Other contenders included Muttiah Muralitharan, whose 33 in 16 ball helped Sri Lanka down Bangladesh in their tri-series final and Albie Morkel, whose 40 in 18 balls helped South Africa take that win in Melbourne.

The Cricket World ® Player Of The Week is judged by the www.cricketworld.com Editorial Team, which takes into consideration matches played in the preceding week with the final decision made on Monday morning.

Users are welcome to discuss the award and put forward contenders for each week's award on our forum, to do so, click here.

© Cricket World 2009