Rod Marsh: Tributes for keeper, teacher and selector

A historic return for Australian cricket in Pakistan began sadly with news of Rod Marsh’s death arriving as the calls to prayer sounded out across Islamabad.

Rod Marsh played 96 Tests for Australia and served as head of the cricket academy and national selector Picture: AFP

A historic return for Australian cricket in Pakistan began sadly with news of Rod Marsh’s death arriving as the calls to prayer sounded out across Islamabad and the players roused themselves for the first day of the Benaud-Qadir Trophy.

The wicketkeeper was a part of the sacred Lillee-Marsh pairing in his career and had gone on to shape so many careers since, first as the straight shooting coach at the Cricket Academy and then as the sharp eyed, but avuncular selector.

Generations were nurtured and moulded in his safe hands.

He was on the panel that introduced Pat Cummins and Steve Smith, Dave Warner and Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc … so many players who, like him, became the bedrock of a great team.

He taught them 360 cricket. He was the keeper who called back batsmen in critical situations because he knew that without integrity the game was diminished, he taught them that the game was important but people were more so.

He loved the tough ones. The Pontings and Katiches, but he loved them all if they respected the game.

He would invite friends down to watch the teenage Ponting belt the ball square during bumper training sessions at the academy – sometimes without a helmet. He knew he’d found a live one and called him a “once in a generation player”.

Cummins paid tribute to him from the team hotel.

“Rod was a colossal figure in Australian cricket who gave close to 50 years of incredible service to Australian cricket, from his debut in the Ashes series of 1970/71, through to his time as National Selector, when many of the current group of Australian men’s players came into close contact with him,” Cummins said.

“He was brilliant to deal with because he knew the game inside-out, but also had a way of dealing with you to put you at your ease.

“I, along with countless other people in Australia, grew up hearing the stories of him as a fearless and tough cricketer, but his swashbuckling batting and his brilliance behind the stumps over more than a decade made him one of the all-time greats of our sport, not just in Australia, but globally.

“When I think of Rod I think of a generous and larger-than-life character who always had a life-loving, positive and relaxed outlook, and his passing leaves a massive void in the Australian cricket community.

“My thoughts, and the thoughts of the entire tour party here in Pakistan, are with Rod’s wife Ros and their family at this terrible time.”

The night before he died South Australian batsman turned commentator Mike Haysman told a story in an Islamabad restaurant on Wednesday night of how in just his second match the grizzled legend of Test and Western Australian cricket plopped next to him with a six pack of beer after a day’s Sheffield Shield cricket and set about getting to know the new kid on the block.

Simon Katich spoke of the six months he spent in 1996 at the academy with the coach who told it straight. He became like a favourite uncle.

To have a drink with Rod was something you never forget, he put you at ease and he entertained you with his wry wit and no nonsense approach.

He played three Tests here in 1980, scored a 71 in Faisalabad, kept clean in Karachi, not conceding a single bye. They lived on canned fruit and Australian beer – Swan Lager was his choice – he acknowledged they didn’t do it as tough as the sides in previous decades.

He watched The Sting 33 times. The crowd pelted them during a one-day in match Karachi and Imran Khan pelted them the rest of the time.

“They had so many excellent, in-form players and we were simply no match for them,” he conceded.

Rod respected good cricket and good character.

He predicted a big future for the young Pakistani quick who is now the president of the country.

He played 96 Tests and a generation of us knew of nobody else behind the stumps. It was almost as if he had the job for life.

His son Dan was a fine cricketer, his son Paul became a fierce defender of cricketers as chief executive of the player’s association.

Cricket Australia chairman Dr Lachlan Henderson spoke on behalf of Cricket Australia.

“This is a tremendously sad day for Australian cricket and for all those who

loved and admired Rod Marsh,” he said.

“Rod will be forever remembered for the way he played the game and the pleasure he brought crowds as a member of some great Australian teams.

‘Caught Marsh, bowled Lillee’ has iconic status in our game.

“Rod also made an enormous contribution to the game by identifying, coaching and mentoring many future stars in his various roles as coach and director at cricket academies in Australia and other cricket playing nations.

“Our thoughts are with Rod’s wife Ros, his sons Paul, Dan and Jamie and the extended Marsh family, his many friends and teammates with whom he created so many special memories.”