Cricket legend Rod Marsh's family offered WA state memorial on WACA ground

The West Australian government has offered to hold a state memorial service for cricket great Rod Marsh, who died on Friday aged 74 following a heart attack.

If Marsh family accepts, the commemoration of his life and career is likely to be held next month at the WACA ground, home of the Lillee Marsh Stand and where he so often played and shone.

That would allow more people to attend following the expected easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Premier Mark McGowan says Marsh will be fondly remembered as one of WA's cricket greats.

«Rod Marsh was an Australian legend – synonymous with long hot summers, the iconic WACA ground and the oft-repeated phrase 'bowled Lillee, caught Marsh',» the Premier said.

«He will be fondly remembered as one of WA's cricket greats — one of the best wicketkeepers to ever put on the gloves.»

Marsh's funeral will be held in Adelaide, where he had been living.

But he grew up in the Perth suburb of Armadale, playing backyard cricket with his brother and quickly rising from club cricket to colts before making 104 in his first match for the WA state team against West India in 1968-69.

«I floated off the WACA», he wrote.

Marsh made his debut as a Test cricketer at the age of 23, and went on to set a world record 355 Test match dismissals in an iconic career.

Marsh described how he and bowling legend Dennis Lillee understood each other so well, to the misfortune of so many batsmen:

Rod Marsh's inauspicious start to life as a Test cricketer earned him the nickname «Iron Gloves». But by the end of his career he was revered as an icon and one of the best to ever keep wicket for Australia. 

«I've played with him so much now that most of the time I know what he is going to do before he has bowled. I know from the way he