Mitch Marsh's startling admission about self-inflicted injury

Mitch Marsh will ramp up his cricket return in a Perth Scorchers practice match on Monday but the allrounder still won't be bowling for another week.

Marsh hasn't played since he broke his hand punching a dressing room wall in October, derailing any chances he had of keeping his Test spot this summer.

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While his return to the crease is encouraging, his inability to bowl should all but rule him out of Test selection for Australia this summer.

He will play his first proper game on Monday in a practice match against the Strikers in Adelaide, after featuring in an intra-club fixture last Thursday.

The 28-year-old has only just returned to batting in the past week, and will play as a batter-only when Perth begin their Big Bash campaign against the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday.

"I will be playing on Wednesday. Assuming everything goes well there I will be right to go Wednesday," Marsh said.

"I probably won't be bowling in matches for another week or two. I have only had a couple of bowls (in the nets) so it will take me a week or two to get back to it.

"It's really exciting, it's been a long nine weeks."

Marsh's injury has proven costly, given he took 5-46 in the final Ashes Test and would have been an option on the flatter wickets in both Melbourne and Sydney.

He had initially hoped to return inside a month but has now missed nine weeks through the blow despite not needing surgery.

"Injuries in sport you learn to handle with and deal with, but when you do it to yourself it's a little different," Marsh said.

"It's certainly been a frustrating nine weeks watching cricket."

Ugly conspiracy theory in Peter Siddle selection

Aussie greats Shane Warne and Geoff Lawson have both questioned the decision to bring Peter Siddle back into Australia’s squad for the Test series against New Zealand.

Siddle's imposing form on his home deck at the MCG makes him a strong contender to replace the injured Josh Hazlewood for the second Test in Melbourne.

Australia are searching for at least one extra quick, with Hazlewood battling to be fit for the Sydney Test next month.

Siddle has taken 12 wickets at 15.16 in three Shield matches at the MCG this summer, form which hasn't gone unnoticed by Australia coach Justin Langer.

"We've started to think about (a squad replacement for Hazlewood), the obvious one would be Peter Siddle actually," Langer said.

"He did a really good job in the Ashes, he's bowling very well for Victoria and it's at the MCG where he's played a lot of cricket."

However a number of Australian greats aren’t convinced.

Lawson has hit out at Langer’s call to bring back Siddle, suggesting there might be ulterior motives at play.

“They’ve had Pattinson there and Neser there with the group. I’m not sure why you’d be looking outside those two guys,” Lawson told Sky Sports Radio on Monday.

“You put them in the 14 for a start. I’m not sure why you’d be looking outside that, especially at someone who hasn’t taken that many wickets for Victoria in their last few Shield games.

“But Justin has his favourites and unfortunately, sometimes he plays them as well. That’s one of the problems with having the coach as a selector.”