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Rod Marsh and Mark Waugh are two of Australia’s cricket legends and two champion blokes – no argument about either.
Marsh had an inauspicious wicket-keeping start to his Test career, quickly dubbed ‘iron gloves’ when he replaced Brian Taber in 1970, spilling more than he caught.
But his undoubted ability won through pretty quickly to end his stellar career of 96 Tests as the world record-holder for dismissals with 355 – 95 of them caught Marsh bowled Lillee.
That record has since been broken by Mark Boucher’s 555 from 147 Tests, Adam Gilchrist’s 416 (96), and Ian Healy’s 395 from 119.
Throw in two Test tons with four 90s, averaging 26.51 with plenty of power, and Marsh more than made his mark.
Mark Waugh was, with David Gower, the most elegant of batsmen who effortlessly struck boundaries. It was all a bit of a doddle for Waugh on the way to 20 Test tons that included 138 at Adelaide on debut against England in 1991.
Waugh also shared a world record with his three-minute older twin Steve for NSW in 1990 when they carved up the Western Australian attack to set an unbeaten 464 for the fifth wicket – Mark cracked 229, Steve 216.
Waugh’s Test batting average of 41.81 wasn’t as high as his ability demanded, but his then world record 181 Test catches made the seemingly impossible look ridiculously easy.
Throw in his medium-pace offies, and Waugh was a huge all-round talent.
Both Marsh and Waugh would have made top-class captains with their cricket nous and communication skills as Marsh has proved as national selection chairman, and Waugh as a commentator on national television.
Now for the interesting comparison as selectors.
Back in March for the World Cup clash with Afghanistan at the WACA, Marsh was the selector on duty and dropped Shane Watson for James Faulkner.
Most pundits wrote Watson off for the entire tournament.
But for the next game against Sri Lanka at the SCG, Waugh was the selector on duty and recalled Watson.
This week Marsh is on duty at Lord’s and has, according to reports, again dropped Watson, this time for Mitchell Marsh – no relation – for the second Ashes Test that starts tonight.
Which begs the question, what will happen to Watson when it’s Waugh turn again to be on duty during this series?
Time will tell.
With Watson dropped, there are two changes tonight with keeper Brad Haddin making himself unavailable through personal reasons. His family is in London, so Haddin will remain with the side and Cricket Australia has announced that’s all that will be said.
The reason must be serious, so understudy Peter Nevill will make his debut at the home of cricket and will do an excellent job, he’s a high quality keeper-batsman.
But comment must be made about Haddin spilling Joe Root before he had scored at Cardiff in the first Test. Root went on to play a classical 134 to win the man of the match award and England won by 169.
Haddin’s been pilloried over the missed chance, labelled too old at 37 and that he’s past his best, despite nailing three other catches at Cardiff.
But Haddin has taken many crackerjack catches among his 270 dismissals from 66 Tests. They have been lost in the telling.
Which is as ridiculous as saying Don Bradman couldn’t bat because he managed a duck in his last Test dig at The Oval in 1948.