Editing Rod Marsh (section)

== Test career ==
Marsh replaced the retired Becker from the 1969–70 season.<ref name=":2" /> At the time, Australia was touring India and South Africa with [[Brian Taber]] and [[Ray Jordon]] as the team's wicketkeepers. In the autumn of 1970, an Australian second team toured New Zealand with John MacLean as wicketkeeper. Therefore, Marsh was behind these players in the pecking order.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rod Marsh Profile - ICC Ranking, Age, Career Info & Stats |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/4630/rod-marsh |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=Cricbuzz |language=en}}</ref> However, he was a controversial selection for the first Test of the 1970–71 Ashes series, replacing Taber; Marsh was selected for his batting.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

The media was quick to criticise Marsh's glovework in his early career, dubbing him "Iron Gloves" after he missed a number of catches.<ref name="OTD">{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149171.html |title=Golden gloves |access-date=6 November 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo|date=4 November 2005 }}</ref> Even on his debut in the First Test in the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1970–71|1970–71 Ashes series]] he took four catches in his first innings. His batting proved invaluable on a number of occasions and in the Fifth Test he equalled the record for the highest Test innings by an Australian keeper, set by [[Don Tallon]]. The end of the innings was controversial; the captain [[Bill Lawry]] declared with Marsh eight runs short of a century<ref name="az"/><ref>{{Cite web |title='I got 92 and Lawry declared on me' |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/i-got-92-and-lawry-declared-on-me-267810 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref> so he could get an extra hour of bowling before stumps. When questioned by the press about his lost chance to make an historic century Marsh said he had gained forty runs instead of missing eight as he thought Lawry should have declared an hour earlier.<ref>Ian Chappell, [[Test Match Special]], British Broadcasting Corporation, 11 July 2009</ref> Even though Marsh was unbeaten on 92 before declaration was made, Marsh emphasized first priority for the team before personal milestones and achievements. His gesture eventually would help him to win accolades and also to stamp a sense of authority and loyalty among the fans as well as among the teammates. Marsh later admitted that he was underprepared as a wicketkeeper, but he learned from watching his English counterpart [[Alan Knott]].<ref name="wisden"/> He and Knott did, however, concede the same number of byes in the series: 44.

Marsh became an integral part of the team as the side improved during the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1972|1972 tour of England]]. He was deemed a strong gatekeeper to Australia's baggy green culture and was known for his authorship of Australian team victory song "[[Under the Southern Cross I Stand]]" which he co-opted from the original version of [[Henry Lawson]]'s 1887 poem "[[Flag of the Southern Cross]]".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=14 December 2014 |title=Australian cricket team victory song "Under the Southern Cross I stand": A history |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/australian-cricket-team-victory-song-under-the-southern-cross-i-stand-a-history-224113 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=Cricket Country |language=en-US}}</ref> Marsh initially had the role of leading the team in singing it, and on his retirement he passed it on to Allan Border.<ref name="Southern Cross">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/news/tune-in-for-a-new-voice-in-victory/2007/01/01/1167500062654.html |title=Tune in for a new voice in victory |first=Andrew |last=Stevenson |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=2 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Langer|first=Justin|author-link=Justin Langer|title=Australia You Little* Beauty: Inside Test Cricket's Dream Team|year=2010|page=5|publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=978-1-74269-093-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tzx7Ai1AyB0C&pg=PA5}}</ref>

It was revealed that it was Marsh who started the victory celebration by narrating the song following Australia's emphatic victory against England on the final day of the fifth and final test match on 16 August 1972 at The Oval where Australia successfully chased down 242 with 5 wickets to spare.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Summer of 242 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rod-marsh-on-australia-s-series-equalling-win-at-the-oval-1972-521545 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>

He became the first Australian keeper to hit a century by scoring 118 in the first Test against [[Pakistani cricket team|Pakistan]] at [[Adelaide Oval|Adelaide]] in 1972–73.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rod Marsh, legendary 'keeper-batter, dies aged 74 |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/rod-marsh-dies-ages-74-western-australia-baggy-green-cricket-legend-wicketkeeper-batter-mourns-death/2022-03-04 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=cricket.com.au |language=en}}</ref> He also hit 236 against the tourists for Western Australia, the best score of his career. Playing a key role in Australia's series victories over England and the West Indies in the series of 1974–75 and 1975–76, Marsh made many acrobatic dives to catch balls delivered by [[Dennis Lillee]] and [[Jeff Thomson]]. He took 45 dismissals in those two series, including a world-record 26 catches in six Tests against the West Indies.<ref name="wisden"/>

Marsh scored an unbeaten 110 in the second innings of the Centenary Test against England in 1977, becoming the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a Test century against England.  In the same match he passed [[Wally Grout]]'s Australian wicket-keeping record of 187 Test dismissals.<ref name="wisden"/> He scored a further 16 half centuries.  In first class matches, he accumulated 11 centuries including a best of 236, aggregating more than 10000 runs in his career.<ref name="az">{{cite book | author = Cashman | author2 = Franks | author3 = Maxwell | author4 = Sainsbury | author5 = Stoddart | author6 = Weaver | author7 = Webster | year = 1997 | title = The A–Z of Australian cricketers|pages =180–194}}</ref>

When the breakaway [[World Series Cricket]] was formed, Marsh had no hesitation in signing for [[Kerry Packer]].  He claimed 54 dismissals in 16 Supertests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rod Marsh's long road to Dominica |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/daniel-brettig-on-rod-marsh-s-long-road-to-dominica-562151 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref> Upon his return to traditional international cricket in 1979–80, his age did not affect his keeping ability.  On the 1981 tour of England, he took 23 dismissals to become the first wicketkeeper to take 100 dismissals in Ashes Tests, broke Knott's world record in 22 fewer Tests and passed 3000 runs in Test cricket.<ref name="wisden"/>

He was the wicketkeeper, in the infamous [[underarm bowling incident of 1981]] which happened during the 3rd final of the [[1980–81 Australia Tri-Nation Series]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs New Zealand 3rd Final 1980/81 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/benson-hedges-world-series-cup-1980-81-60812/australia-vs-new-zealand-3rd-final-65317/full-scorecard |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>

In 1982–83, his penultimate season, he took 28 dismissals against England, including nine and eight in the second and third Test respectively.<ref name="az"/> His batting form fell away towards the end of his Test career, his last 22 Tests yielding only 589 runs at an average of 19.63.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Sport {{!}} Cricket {{!}} Ashes {{!}} Legends Guide |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/spl/hi/cricket/02/ashes/legends/html/marsh.stm |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> On his final test match appearance against Pakistan at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] on 6 January 1984, he effected five dismissals and set a then world record for most test dismissals by a keeper at that time with 355.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Pakistan vs Australia 5th Test 1983/84 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-australia-1983-84-61472/australia-vs-pakistan-5th-test-63360/full-scorecard |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref> He also became the first keeper to reach 350 dismissals.  Marsh's retirement coincided with those of Dennis Lillee and former Australia captain [[Greg Chappell]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Three legends bow out at the SCG |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/three-legends-bow-out-at-the-scg-275376 |first=Martin |last=Williamson| date=5 January 2007 |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |language=en}}</ref>