Former Australian pacer Dennis Lillee on Thursday led a tribute at the funeral of much-loved cricketer Rod Marsh, describing the wicketkeeper-batsman who died earlier this month as a unique person with whom he formed an enduring friendship. developed.
Marsh, who played 96 Tests in the 1970s and 1980s, died in Adelaide at the age of 74, eight days after suffering a heart attack during a charity event in Queensland.
“Catch Marsh, bld Lily,” appeared on the Test scorecard 95 times as the mustache-wielding Western Australian combination wreaked havoc on opposing batting orders in Cricket Down Under’s golden age.
In Adelaide, Lillee said, “It has taken me a few days to be able to write down my thoughts on this wonderful man. I don’t want to talk about his cricketing ability because it is so well documented – this is the man who Rod It’s marsh. Pyaar kiya. It’s something that grew over time, even after our careers ended.”
Lillee, who made his Test debut in the same Ashes series as Marsh, told the nearly 800 people in attendance that his friendship with the wicketkeeper didn’t start off at best.
“The day after a day’s play, unusually with a beer in his hand and I was pouring a full-strength soft drink ready to chat, he said to me, ‘I gotta tell you, I’m on you. Can’t believe it,” said Lily, laughing.
“Slowly our friendship blossomed. I miss my partner and will continue to miss the good times. He was a one off.”
Marsh’s professional golfer brother Graham recalled how the cricketer saved him from a city bully as a child.
“I learned two valuable lessons from my younger brother that day, I always wanted to be on his team, and secondly, he would do anything to protect his family,” Graham said.
A recorded message from former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist went through before Marsh’s former teammates John Inverarity and Bruce Laird spoke.
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