Rod Marsh farewelled in touching funeral at Adelaide Oval
Cricket legend Rod Marsh has been farewelled in a touching funeral at Adelaide Oval attended by many fellow Aussie greats.
The who’s who of Australian cricket have paid an emotional tribute to Test legend Rod Marsh at Adelaide Oval today.
Legendary fast bowler and great mate Dennis Lillee and fellow Australian Test players Adam Gilchrist, via video, Bruce Laird and John Inverarity were among those to deliver eulogies at Marsh’s private funeral at The Oval.
Marsh’s former Test captain Ian Chappell was among the pallbearers while other cricket greats to attend included Jeff Thomson, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden and Ian Healy, along with South Australian stars Darren Lehmann, Wayne Phillips, Jason Gillespie and Andrew Hilditch.
The SA-based wicketkeeping great died at age 74 after suffering a heart attack in Bundaberg, Queensland, three weeks ago. He was there to promote a Masters cricket tournament.
Marsh was rushed to hospital after the attack and was later transferred to Adelaide in an induced coma, with his family, who had flown to Queensland to be with him.
He died on March 4.
About 800 people attended the funeral, which was held at Adelaide Oval’s William Magarey Room, with some watching from a giant screen in the southern stand.
Interstate and international friends were able to watch the service on live stream to pay their respects to the star cricketer and former Australia Test selector.
Current and former Australia and state cricketers formed a guard of honour as Marsh, who died the same day as fellow cricket legend Shane Warne, was driven from the Oval.
The service, titled “A celebration of life’’, was hosted by former state cricketer, family friend and sports commentator James Brayshaw.
Marsh’s brother, former star Australian golfer Graham Marsh, also delivered a eulogy.
Marsh’s famous wicket-keeping gloves took centre stage in the middle of Adelaide Oval, where guests were asked to place a sprig of wattle after the service.
A swashbuckling left-handed batter, Marsh played 96 Tests for Australia from 1970-84, snaring a then-world record 355 dismissals, and making three Test centuries.
He formed a famous partnership with fellow Sandgroper Lillee, with the pair combining for what remains a world record 95 dismissals.
“Caught Marsh, bowled Lillee” became a line synonomous with Australian cricket in the 1970s and 1980s, where the duo, Ian and Greg Chappell, Thomson and Doug Walters became household names, forming the backbone of the Australian team.
Marsh’s contribution to the game continued after he retired from playing, starting with a fruitful stint as the head of the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide, where he worked with future stars including Ricky Ponting, McGrath, Justin Langer, Brett Lee and Redbacks coach Gillespie and helped usher in a dominant era of Australian cricket.
He spent three years as high performance consultant with the SA Cricket Association from 2006-08 and was a SACA board member from 2018-21, serving as chair of the high performance committee.
Marsh was welcomed into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2005 and the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
A long-time member of Kooyonga Golf Club, where he played regularly after living in Adelaide for 30 years, Marsh was on the selection panel that picked Gillespie as SA men’s coach two years ago.
SACA president Andrew Sinclair described Marsh was “one of the greatest to play the game, not simply because he was so wonderfully talented, but because he was a tremendous person’’.
“A much-loved member of the South Australian cricketing community, Rod inspired all those fortunate enough to meet him or watch him play,” Sinclair said.
“For a generation of Australians, Rod epitomised the spirit of cricket on the world stage.
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“Rod’s incredible on-field achievements will always be remembered and his profound legacy as a coach and administrator will endure.”
Marsh is survived by his wife Ros and children Paul, Dan and Jamie.
His family has requested donations be made to Diabetes SA in lieu of floral tributes.
Originally published as Rod Marsh farewelled in touching funeral at Adelaide Oval
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