RIP Rod Marsh and Shane Warne
ON Friday, March 4 the deaths of two former Australian cricketers, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, were announced.
Wicket-keeper Marsh died at the age of 74 following a heart attack. He was taken ill eight days ago while travelling from his home in Bungadoo, Queensland, to a local charity cricket match.
During his 96-match Test career (1970-84) he made 355 dismissals - a world record at the time. In fact, he’s third on Australia's all-time dismissals list behind Adam Gilchrist (416) and Ian Healy (395).
He also played in 92 ODIs and when touring England in 1981, he became the first ‘keeper to claim 100 dismissals in Ashes Tests. Also the first Aussie ‘keeper to score a Test century, doing so against England in the 1977 Centenary match, Marsh amassed 3,633 Test runs for an average of 26.51 and he also scored 1,225 runs in 92 ODIs (average 20.11). He formed a formidable understanding with fast bowler Dennis Lillee, the pair registering a record 95 Test dismissals between them.
After dropping numerous catches during his first series against England in 1970-71, he gained the nickname 'Iron Gloves' but never let that disturb his career and went on to become one of the world’s bestever ‘behind the wicket’ cricketers.
After retiring he served as chairman of the Australian selectors (2014-16), commentated on Australian television, coached at his country’s national academy and also with the England and Wales Cricket Board, and was added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne, without doubt one of the greatest cricketers of all time, died of a suspected heart attack aged 52. He was found inside a villa on the Thai island of Koh Samui last Friday.
He took 708 Test wickets, the second most of all time, in 145 matches across a stellar 15-year international career.
He also claimed 293 dismissals in 194 ODIs between 1993 and 2005, helping the Aussies win the 50-over World Cup in 1999.
In 2000 he was named one of the five Wisden cricketers of the century, alongside Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Viv Richards.
Warne retired from international cricket in 2007, following Australia's 5-0 Ashes clean sweep of England and a sevenyear association with Hampshire CCC, whom he captained in 2004.
He continued to play T-20 franchise cricket until retiring from all formats of the game in 2013.
Warne was, without question, a quite brilliant cricketer and a great showman.