Three cricketing greats.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

At a time of great turmoil in the world, as well as the current problems in cricket, it is sad to report the passing of three truly great cricketers. Great is a word perhaps used far to often these days, but in this case I think most people will agree that Sonny Ramadhin, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne all fall well within this category.

I first came across Sonny Ramadhin during the memorable 1950 West Indies tour of England when 'those two little pals of mine, Ramadhin and Valentine' destroyed the England batting, I memorably saw him in action two years later in a benefit match in the Birmingham area, where he actually opened the batting (probably for the only time in his career). Sadly he was out first ball but compensated by taking five wickets, together with four from Alf Valentine. Inevitably bowling in his cap with shirt sleeves buttoned at the wrist, he puzzled batsmen, both at Test level and in league cricket, for many years to come.

Sonny Ramadhin

He settled in the village of Delph, then in West Yorkshire, and ran a pub there for many years, plying his trade in endless leagues throughout Lancashire, Yorkshire and North Staffordshire. The last time I saw him was at Nelson cricket club, where he sat quietly on his own, away from the spectators, to watch his grandson Kyle Hogg playing for a Lancashire age group side. 

Ramadhin was a quiet man, which is something you would not associate with Rod Marsh, the Australian wicketkeeper and later a cricket coach. Marsh certainly made his presence felt on the cricket field, never more than when keeping wicket to the two hostile pacemen Lillee and Thompson. The picture below, taken by Patrick Eager, shows a memorable catch during the 1975 World Cup semi-final at Headingley. Marsh dismisses Tony Greig, from the bowling of Gary Gilmour, who had a field day, with a brilliant dive across in front of a wide first slip.

A classic Rod Marsh catch.

Many years later I had a brief conversation with Rod at his office in Dubai, during his spell as coach with the I.C.C. Academy. More soft spoken than you would imagine, he obviously thought deeply about cricket coaching, which he practised with success in both Australia and England.

Soon after Marsh's death was announced a message of sympathy was sent by Shane Warne from his holiday home in Thailand. Only hours later it became known that Warne himself had passed away following a heart attack at the early age of 52. This news was a great shock to cricket followers in both Australia and England, indeed throughout the world. His performances for Australia of course broke all records and he is fondly remembered in Hampshire where as ever he led from the front.

Shane Warne

Probably my first memory of the great man came at the Gabba in Brisbane in November 1994 during the first Test of that winter's series. England were up against it from day one and Warne had only a modest return in the first innings with 3-39. However as England tried hard to fight back in the second innings, he not only dismissed the top five of Atherton, Stewart, Hick, Thorpe and Gooch, but finished with figures of 8-71 to set the tone not only for the series, but for years to come as well.

His combative on field style together with his controversial off field activities were not to everyone's taste, but it cannot be denied that he re-invented the difficult art of leg spin bowling and inspired youngster's around the world to follow in his footsteps. The ball of the century, when he dismissed Mike Gatting, will never be forgotten.