Injuries are not the only factor that have hampered Shaun Marsh in a rollercoaster career so far, the opener also battled drinking problems before the slide of a fellow player, Luke Pomersbach, prompted him to mend his ways.
Marsh, whose nagging back problem has troubled him no end, was also at times "more interested in partying and drinking his favourite vodka than batting" and was even suspended by Western Australia after "going on a grog binge with Pomersbach in 2007."
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According to The Daily Telegraph, "few thought he would make it."
"But what no one counted on was Marsh's steely and sudden determination to make the most of his talent and not go down the same rocky road as Pomersbach," the newspaper reported.
"Marsh and Pomersbach were more than team-mates. They were great mates, drinking buddies and at times, wild party animals.
"But Marsh saw first-hand what the demon drink and party lifestyle had done to Pomersbach who withdrew from all cricket at the start of the season as he battled depression, alcohol and drug issues."
Marsh was handed a Test debut against Sri Lanka in September and while he smashed a hundred to justify his selection, Pomersbach was receiving psychiatric help for his problems.
"Marsh, the son of Geoff and older brother of Mitchell, silently promised himself he would never be in the same situation.
"The one-time heavy drinker matured almost overnight -- he still enjoys a few drinks but only in sensible moderation and only if it doesn't get in the way of his post-match recovery."
