Australia dismiss concerns over Marsh's fitness

Australia insist there are no concerns over Mitch Marsh's fitness after he became the second bowler in two days to spend time off the field dring the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Marsh did not bowl at all for Australia on Friday, after spending the first 75 minutes on the sideline battling what team officials labelled 'general stiffness'.

Footage showed the 31-year-old wincing in pain after bowling a ball on the second day, prompting concerns over a more serious injury.

But Australia are confident that is not the case, with the in-form allrounder's fitness potentially crucial to their plans for what could become a series-deciding fifth Test at The Oval next Thursday.

"There's no (issues), that I'm aware of," Josh Hazlewood said. "He's probably bowled quite a bit in the last two games. It's probably a quite a steep rise in his workload. So I'm assuming it's just, you know, general soreness from that.

"The more overs he bowls the better he gets so it's good to get a nice clean run at it and hopefully better after this innings and it just keeps building."

Having survived 27 balls to be one not out at stumps on Friday, Marsh will be required to play a vital role as Australia look to save a Test that has been dominated by England, with the visitors trailing by 162 runs with just six wickets in hand.

Rain is forecast for the final two days, but Australia need something of a minor miracle to draw the match and hold onto their 2-1 series lead.

Australia did receive good news on Friday though, with Mitchell Starc able to resume bowling after falling hard on his shoulder on day two and leaving the field.

Hazlewood has so far been unable to play back-to-back Tests on a short turnaround on this tour, but said before the fourth Test that he is hopeful of doing so in the final two matches.

Cummins has already played five Tests on this tour and has endured a tough match in Manchester, but will almost certainly back up at The Oval after declaring his intentions of playing all six games.

Questions will be asked over whether spinner Todd Murphy should return to the team, potentially at the expense of Marsh or Cameron Green.