He was in critical condition and had been placed in an induced coma. He was widely regarded as one of Australia’s greatest ever Test players.
Between 1970 and 1984, Marsh played 96 Tests and 92 One-Day Internationals for Australia. In his successful career, he scored 3633 Test runs and claimed 343 catches, and after retirement, he has contributed to the game he loves as a coach, pundit, and national selector.
Marsh became unwell last Thursday while on his way to a charity cricket tournament in Queensland. Marsh ranks third on Australia’s all-time dismissals list, trailing only Adam Gilchrist (416) and Ian Healy (395).
Marsh would go on to develop a dangerous combination with fast bowler Dennis Lillee, combining for a Test dismissal record of 95. However, he had a rocky start to his Test career, earning the moniker “Iron Gloves” during his maiden series against England in 1970-71.
During the Ashes series, he came close to his first century, scoring an unbroken 92 in Melbourne before captain Bill Lawry declared with Australia nine behind.
Marsh did not believe he had missed out on a century, claiming that Lawry should have declared much earlier.
Later, in the 1977 Centenary Test against England, he became the first Australian wicketkeeper to achieve a Test century.
Marsh retired and went on to work as a commentator on Australian television before becoming a coach at the Australian National Academy. He then took on a similar job with the England and Wales Cricket Board, serving as a men’s squad selector from 2001 to 2005.
Marsh was the Australian selectors chairman from 2014 to 2016, standing down after Australia was humiliated at home by South Africa.
Many cricketers around the world have paid tribute to Rod Marsh:
Mark Waugh describes Rod Marsh as an “absolute icon”, and further added, “Had the pleasure of working with Rod for a number of years as a selector and you wouldn’t meet a more honest, down to earth, kind hearted person.”
Former English bowler Chris Tremlett mentioned him as “a great man who helped guide me and many others on the right path in my younger years and taught me what it takes to play international cricket”.