Rod Marsh: Ricky Ponting and Pat Cummins lead tributes to ‘colossal figure’

Tributes have poured in for Rod Marsh following the death of the esteemed former Australia wicketkeeper at the age of 74.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted he was “devastated” by the news while incumbent skipper Pat Cummins labelled Marsh a “colossal figure” whose passing has left a “massive void”.

Marsh, who had been in critical condition after suffering a heart attack in Queensland last week and died on Friday morning, featured in 96 Tests between 1970 and 1984 and was renowned as one of the greatest behind the stumps.

Despite an inauspicious start to his career that led to the nickname ‘Iron Gloves’ after several drops in the 1970-71 Ashes, Marsh finished with a then-record 355 dismissals in Tests and a further 124 in 92 one-day internationals.

After his playing retirement, Marsh became coach of the Australian Cricket Academy in the 1990s, helping develop the likes of Ponting, and took on a similar role with England, with whom he was a selector from 2003 to 2005.

His death was confirmed by son Paul, who said in a statement: “On behalf of my mother Ros and brothers Dan and Jamie, it is with immense sadness that I advise that my father Rod passed away peacefully early this morning.

“He has been an incredible husband, father and grandfather and we have been so fortunate to have had him in all our lives.”

Ponting wrote on Twitter: “Devastated, we have lost a legend. Rod Marsh was a great player, a great coach and one of the best people I have ever met. My thoughts are with Ros, Paul, Dan and Jamie.”

In his later years Marsh, who amassed 3,633 runs at an average of 26.51 with three centuries and 16 fifties in Test cricket, served as the chair of selectors for the Australia men’s team between 2014 and 2016,