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Marshall dies of colon cancer

REUTERS

BRIDGETOWN, (BARBADOS), NOV 5: Malcolm Marshall, one of Test cricket's greatest pace bowlers who was the scourge of batsmen for nearly two decades, died in hospital at the age of 41. Marshall is survived by his wife Connie, whom he married two months ago, and his son.

Marshall was suffering from cancer of the colon and became ill during the World Cup in England last May when he had to stand down as coach of the West Indies team and undergo surgery.

The CANA news agency said that he died in a local hospital at 5.30 last evening, with former team mates, including Desmond Haynes and Wes Hall, at his bedside.

Marshall was one of a series of outstanding West Indies pacemen, a much-loved player who made the team such a force in Test cricket during the 1970s and 1980s. He played in 81 Tests, taking 376 wickets at an average of 20.94 and was a feared opponent with his unusual grip of the ball and unique whippy action.

Those statistics made him the most prolific wicket-taker in West Indies cricket historyuntil Courtney Walsh overtook him in November last year.

Malcolm Denzil Marshall was born here on April 18, 1958. He played 408 first-class matches and took 1,651 wickets (average of 19.10). He also scored 11,004 runs at a useful average of 24.83 with seven hundreds.

One of his greatest days came during a Test at Headingley, Leeds, in 1984.After breaking a thumb, he returned to bat at No 11 and help Larry Gomes to a century before destroying England with a memorable display of fast bowling that brought him figures of 7-53. He was at his deadliest best in 1988 when he scared the life out of England's batsmen in the Caribbean, claiming 35 wickets at an average of 12.65.

Marshall's illustrious career also saw him claim 157 victims in One-Day Internationals. He also played English county cricket for Hampshire, for whom he was leading wicket-taker with 134 in the 1982 season and topped the averages in 1986 and 1988, and in South Africa for Durban.

Marshall had only one thing to say to everyone: ``I amalways positive about life. I never concern myself with things over which I have no control.''Once out of hospital, Marshall tied the nupital knot with Connie, his girlfriend for 13 years.

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