Book Review - The Inside Edge by Rodney Marsh

 The Inside Edge by Rodney Marsh

Sydney: Lansdowne, 1983          ISBN: 0701817771

Any true Australian Cricket fan is going through a tough time at the moment, with the demise of Shane Warne and Rodney Marsh. As someone who grew up in the 70s, the demise of Marsh, at this stage, has hit me more than the demise of Warne. Like many my age, my heroes could be summed up in three names - Lillee, Marsh and Chappell. Greg Chappell had the grace, Lillee had the menace, and Marsh was the everyman: there was no doubt of his skill, but he seemed like one of us...he looked like your mate's Dad.

But in every way he wasn't like your mate's Dad - he was, for quite a few years, the embodiment of Australia. He was such a presence, then and later in his career when he moved into coaching, that it's hard to believe he's gone. The Inside Edge, written just after the 1982-83 season, is a collection of Rodney's thoughts on the recently completed tour of Pakistan, the victorious Ashes series, and views on players and fans, all delivered in Rodney's no-nonsense style.

He pulled no punches in deploring crowd behaviour, especially at the WACA, where Terry Alderman busted his shoulder tackling an errant spectator. Neither was he backward in airing his views on the up-and-coming Australian players. He loved what he saw of an emerging Geoff Lawson, and the renewed vigor of Rodney Hogg and David Hookes.

He reiterates the true grit and never-say-die attitude of his great friend Dennis Lillee, and he admires the grace under fire of Bob Willis, and tells us that not only did he not see a ball of the great Border-Thomson partnership that nearly won us the Melbourne Test, but also  that he was drunk for the lot of it!

Not only is The Inside Edge a reminder of Rod Marsh's longevity, skill and sense of humour, but also reminds us of a great period in cricket, and some of the lesser lights. Reading it made me smile, and helped ease the pain of the loss of one of Australia's greats. RIP Bacchus.

Cheers for now, from

A View Over the Bell