Superstar stumper Marsh no more
Caught Marsh, bowled Lillee — the phrase sums up the career of Australian great Rod Marsh, who passed away at 74 this fortnight.
He suffered a heart attack in Queensland and spent the last few days in an induced coma at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The wicketkeeperbatter, who kept to lethal fast bowlers such as Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, held the record for the most dismissals (355) by a stumper in Test cricket for 14 years since his retirement in 19■4; Ian Healy (395) surpassed him in 199■. Later, Adam Gilchrist (416) and South African Mark Boucher (555) created new records.
Marsh flew behind the stumps to pluck catches from the slip cordon. He batted with a lot of intensity and had even hammered Lance Cairns for 22 runs in an over.
He would sledge from behind his walrusmoustache, drink plenty of beer and keep wickets with aplomb. But he was a fair cricketer. He was the one who did not support Trevor Chappell bowling an underarm delivery to ensure victory in an ODI against New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 19■1.