Rod Marsh dies: Career highlights of Australian cricketer, tributes and why he was compared to Alan Knott

Cricket legend Rod Marsh has died after suffering a heart attack last week.

The former wicketkeeper fell ill last Thursday while travelling to a charity cricket match in Queensland, before passing away in Adelaide this morning (Friday).

His passing was announced by son Paul, who said: “On behalf of my mother Ros and brothers Dan and Jamie, it is with immense sadness that I advise that my father Rod passed away peacefully early this morning.

“He has been an incredible husband, father and grandfather and we have been so fortunate to have had him in all our lives.”

Career highlights

The cricketer broke a world record when he effected 355 dismissals in 96 Test appearances from 1970 to 1984.

Marsh is third on Australia’s all-time dismissals list behind Adam Gilchrist with 416 and Ian Healy’s 395.

Marsh was the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a Test century in 1972-73 and went on to score another two centuries and racked up 16 half centuries for his country - later inducted into Cricket Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2005.\

The Australian formed an incredible partnership with fast bowler Dennis Lillee, with the pair being regarded as one of the world’s best bowler-wicketkeeper combinations of all time - claiming 95 dismissals, which is still a Test cricket world record to this day.

Another memorable time in Marsh’s career was his reluctancy to become involved in Australia’s underarm bowling controversy in a one day international against New Zealand in 1981.

He was famously captured shaking his head behind the crease after his captain Gregg Chappell ordered his brother Trevor to bowl an underarm on the final ball to ensure their opponents couldn’t hit a six to tie the match.

Marsh was also one of a host of Test players who refused to be part of Kerry Packer’s breakaway World Series Cricket in 1977.

Why was he compared to Alan Knott?

Rod Marsh was often compared to former England cricketer Alan Knott, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest wicketkeepers ever to play the game.

Marsh previously admitted that he “learnt a tremendous amount by watching Knott, and it was Knott’s record of 263 Test victims which Marsh surpassed at Headingley in 1981.

As the Australian broke his English counterpart’s record in Leeds, he overtook him as the most successful wicketkeeper in the history of Test cricket.

Tributes

Rod Marsh’s death has rocked the cricket world, with many paying tribute to the former wicketkeeper.

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins said Marsh’s death has left a “massive void” in Australian cricket.

Former Ausralian captain Greg Chappell described him as “the spiritual leader of the group”, while Ian Chappell said “anybody that met him enjoyed his company”.

Ex-bowler and Australia captain Shane Warne said: “He [Marsh] was a legend of our great game and an inspiration to so many young boys and girls.

“Rod cared deeply about cricket and gave so much - especially to Australia and England players.”

Former all-rounder Shane Watson said he “wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for Rod and his amazing skill to know how to get the best out of every young cricketer”.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also paid tribute to Marsh, claiming on Twitter that he would be remember as “one of Australia’s greatest ever Test cricket players”.

“As a kid he was my favourite player,” Morrison added.

“He was a fierce competitor and a fine sportsman who valued what the game stood for.

“Rod Marsh was a proud Western Australian and an absolute Aussie legend.”