Australian cricket great Rod Marsh dies at age 74, tributes pour in for ‘colossal figure’ of the game
- The wicketkeeper died in an Adelaide hospital after falling ill during fundraiser in Queensland
- Marsh played 96 Tests for his country between 1970 and 1984
Rod Marsh an Australian cricket great and the wicketkeeper who formed a prolific wicket-taking partnership with pace bowler Dennis Lillee, has died a week after suffering a heart attack during a fundraising event in Queensland state. He was 74.
Tributes poured in on Friday for the “colossal figure” in Australian cricket, who gave close to 50 years’ service to the sport.
Marsh, who played 96 Tests and was later a long-time national selector, had been in an induced coma and passed away peacefully in an Adelaide hospital on Friday morning, his family confirmed.
“We are so grateful for all the love and support our family has received from so many people over the last week,” they said in a statement. “It has given us strength in the most difficult week of our lives.”
Perth-born Marsh made his international debut in 1970 against England before retiring in 1984 with what was then a world-record 355 Test dismissals, 95 off the bowling of legendary paceman Dennis Lillee.
Nicknamed “Iron Gloves”, he also played 92 ODIs and as a dashing left-hander was the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a Test century against Pakistan in 1982. He scored three hundreds over his career, and amassed 3,633 Test runs.
After his playing career, he remained closely linked to the game as head of the Australian Cricket Academy, helping nurture dozens of players including Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer, before becoming chairman of selectors.