Famous Cricketers No 52 - Malcolm Marshall

extravagant but uncomfortable shots. Marshall persisted with his attacking ploy but Zaheer reached 87 before Malone dismissed him. Gloucestershire just saved the game. Seven years later, Derbyshire were 140-1 requiring just 95 more to win with time to spare. Marshall then took seven wickets in 51 balls to bowl Hampshire to a relatively comfortable victory. The local newspaper described this as his “Finest Hour” and allowing for a certain parochialism in the judgement it was as precisely a Masterclass in the arts of fast bowling as one could hope to see. It was also the performance of a mature performer where the earlier display had suffered from a certain irrational aggressiveness. Marshall’s intelligence enabled him to make the transition from player to coach. In addition to his fellow countrymen cricketers in South Africa and Southern England have reason to be grateful for his thinking and teaching. He took on difficult tasks with West Indies and Hampshire, coaching two sides in significant decline following years of success. In Hampshire in particular, there is a feeling that players like Jason Laney, Derek Kenway, Will Kendall, Alex Morris and Dimitri Mascarenhas might constitute a living memorial to a great cricketer and a great man. Early Years MalcolmDenzil Marshall was born in St Michael, Barbados on 18th April 1958, the son of Denzil and Eleanor. His father, a policeman, died in a motorcycle crash in 1959 and Malcolm was brought up by his mother, who worked as a store cashier, and grandparents, Lillian and Oscar. Eleanor later remarried and Malcolm had a half-brother, Michael and half-sister, Cheryl-Anne. Malcolm was educated at St Giles Boys School where he first played organised cricket and at Parkinson Comprehensive School, Barbados. Leaving school at 15, he joined Spartan Cricket Club and Texaco Cricket Club. In 1975 he was selected for Barbados Youth and played against England Youth. In April 1977 he took a job with Banks Brewery and began playing for their club side. 1977/78 Marshall made his first-class debut at the age of 19 in the final match of the season and took 6-77 in the first innings. Barbados were Shell Shield Champions and repeated the success in the next two seasons plus 1981/2; 1983/4; 1985/6 and 1990/1 (as the Red Stripe Cup). Despite this success with his home side after one match, Marshall never won a Championship in England. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 1. Barbados v Jamaica, Bridgetown, January 17, 18, 19, 20 (Match drawn) run out 0 447 28.4 7 77 6 A.B.Williams b 341 M.L.C.Foster b H.G.Gordon c D.A.Murray E.A.Campbell c D.A.Murray L.N.G.Wright c D.A.Murray S.A.Francis b did not bat - 225-5d 5 0 20 1 H.S.Chang c A.E.Greenidge 103-2 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Shell Shield 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 - - - Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Shell Shield 33.4 7 97 7 6-77 13.85 1 - 5