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Australian cricket great Rod Marsh is in ‘the fight of his life’ after suffering a heart attack in Queensland.
The iconic wicketkeeper, who represented the country in 96 Tests, was in Bundaberg on Thursday for an event for Bulls Masters, a cricket program aimed at furthering the sport in Queensland spearheaded by retired greats, when the heart attack occurred.
His son, AFL Players Association CEO Paul, released a statement on Thursday on behalf of the family confirming Marsh remains in a critical condition in Bundaberg Hospital.
“At the moment this is a waiting game and we are unlikely to have any certainty for some time,” the statement reads.
“We know there is a lot of interest in Dad’s condition and our family has been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support from all around the world.
“We have listened to and ready every one of them and we are incredibly grateful to everyone.”
Marsh was reportedly in a car with two event officials, John Glanville and David Hillier, and taken immediately to hospital, which saved his life.
Bulls Masters boss, and former Queensland great, Jimmy Maher told the Herald Sun that Marsh ‘would not have made it’ had Glanville and Hillier not acted immediately.
“John and Dave deserve so much credit because the doctor said if they had waited for an ambulance he would not have made it,” Maher said.
“The medical staff at the Bundaberg hospital were wonderful. We are all shocked. It’s terrible.”
Marsh showed no signs of ill health leading up to his trip north, according to Maher, who had spoken with the Test legend just hours earlier.
“Rod landed at 10:05am and rang me from the car at about 10:30. He said he could not wait to have a beer with me,” Maher said.
“He texted me Sunday, rang me Monday and texted me yesterday.
“He was so looking forward to it [the trip to Queensland]. He is such a champion.
The Herald Sun reports that fellow cricket greats Allan Border and Darren Lehmann were among those on hand with Maher in the hospital waiting room.
Marsh is widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest ever wicketkeepers.
Despite being derided early in his career as ‘Iron Gloves’ for his tendency to spill catches, he developed into an outstanding gloveman, with his partnership with legendary fast bowler Dennis Lillee immortalised into cricket scorebooks the world over.
He’d finish with a world record 355 Test dismissals, only since overtaken by Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist among Australians.
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