Behind Rod Marsh’s abrasive front lay a thoughtful, humorous man

“Did I sing?” asked Rod Marsh nervously. It was the morning after a memorable evening during the 2013-14 Ashes series and the short answer was: “Yes.”

The news of Marsh’s death triggers a treasured memory of one of those supper parties that just took off magically for a few visiting Poms in Perth. It was attended by Western Australian royalty. Dennis Lillee, then the president at the Waca, organised it superbly. Rod Marsh and John Inverarity were there; so too Mike Brearley, and somehow so was my wife and I, which explains something straightaway. It was not necessary to be a grade-A, high-octane achiever to be welcomed by Marsh and friends. Those Aussies just took everyone as they found them.

On that evening I recall Inverarity, Marsh’s captain at university and state level, telling me how Rod had the most warm-hearted, generous attitude imaginable towards about 95% of the people he ever came across. “But if you’re in the other 5%, watch out,” he added. At supper there were the adversaries of the 1970s and 80s, Lillee, Marsh and Brearley, debating, reminiscing and laughing like old friends do.

Then on the way back to the city in a minibus, Marsh, with some assistance from Lillee, burst into song (a wholesome song I should add) alongside Brearley and the Markses. To our mild surprise we joined in.

Rod liked to sing and he liked to drink but never fall for the bruising Aussie stereotype. Back in 1985, Brearley wrote about Marsh in The Art of Captaincy. “Behind the abrasive front was a thoughtful, astute and humorous man, whose players when he led WA were totally committed to him.” Brearley goes on to add that it was a “major mistake” not to appoint him captain of Australia in the post-Packer era.

In those days Marsh may