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Most CWers would be aware Rod Marsh had a heart attack last week. This morning it's confirmed the great man has passed away at 74.
If you grew up watching and loving cricket in the 70s and 80s, Marsh was a massive part of the Chappell era and was quintessentially a 70s Aus cricketer.
355 test dismissals (a then record and the same number as Dennis Lillee took wickets) , 96 consecutive test matches and a brilliantly acrobatic 'keeper, particularly when standing back. He also had a knack for scoring some pretty crucial runs, especially in the Centenary test when he made a vital second innings ton in the context of a game Aus won by only 45 runs.
After retiring, he became a selector and, more importantly, the head of the Cricket Academy where he brought along and developed so many of the great players of the 90s and 2000s. Ian Healy talks fondly of the time Marsh called him after a day's play in a test and absolutely sprayed him because he hadn't put in place all the things they'd been working on in the pre-season. He said that call made Healy realize he belonged, that such a great 'keeper would think him worthy of his time and energy.
If there was a down side to his playing days, it was probably the post-Chappell era when he was made vice captain to Kim Hughes and the resentment he, Lillee and past players like Ian Chappell in particular held towards Hughes in no small way contributed to the latter's demise as skipper and a player. Nonetheless, Marsh always said he considered Hughes a friend, only they had very very different ideas about how a cricket team should be run.
Marsh then went across to England for a time and was involved in the selection of the side which ball tampered, cheated and won the 2005 Ashes.
He was always forthright, invariably competitive and was one of the greatest players never to have captained Australia.
There's something particularly poignant when one of your childhood heroes passes. Not least because it's a hat tip to your own advancing years.
Vale Bacchus. One of the genuine greats.
If you grew up watching and loving cricket in the 70s and 80s, Marsh was a massive part of the Chappell era and was quintessentially a 70s Aus cricketer.
355 test dismissals (a then record and the same number as Dennis Lillee took wickets) , 96 consecutive test matches and a brilliantly acrobatic 'keeper, particularly when standing back. He also had a knack for scoring some pretty crucial runs, especially in the Centenary test when he made a vital second innings ton in the context of a game Aus won by only 45 runs.
After retiring, he became a selector and, more importantly, the head of the Cricket Academy where he brought along and developed so many of the great players of the 90s and 2000s. Ian Healy talks fondly of the time Marsh called him after a day's play in a test and absolutely sprayed him because he hadn't put in place all the things they'd been working on in the pre-season. He said that call made Healy realize he belonged, that such a great 'keeper would think him worthy of his time and energy.
If there was a down side to his playing days, it was probably the post-Chappell era when he was made vice captain to Kim Hughes and the resentment he, Lillee and past players like Ian Chappell in particular held towards Hughes in no small way contributed to the latter's demise as skipper and a player. Nonetheless, Marsh always said he considered Hughes a friend, only they had very very different ideas about how a cricket team should be run.
Marsh then went across to England for a time and was involved in the selection of the side which ball tampered, cheated and won the 2005 Ashes.
He was always forthright, invariably competitive and was one of the greatest players never to have captained Australia.
There's something particularly poignant when one of your childhood heroes passes. Not least because it's a hat tip to your own advancing years.
Vale Bacchus. One of the genuine greats.
An absolute legend and an ATG. Sad news to start the day.
