da bwin： The past became the present at the HAC Ground in the City of London wherecricketers from day’s game and the modern game gave the late, great MalcolmDenzil Marshall a 12 gun salute at the Artillery Club
Jed Pitman28-Jul-2000
Malcolm Marshall
Photo © Hants CCC
Malcolm Marshall Memorial MatchThe past became the present at the HAC Ground in the City of London wherecricketers from day’s game and the modern game gave the late, great MalcolmDenzil Marshall a 12 gun salute at the Artillery Club. With a Caribbeanflavour, the sell out crowd revelled beneath the warm sun as players such asGordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Sir Vivian Richards, Shane Warne, GlennMcGrath and comedian, Rory Bremner rolled back the years to celebrate thelife of the finest West Indian bowler.Surrounded by sprawling City office blocks, a perfect pitch offered thebatsmen the opportunity to shine with Allan Lamb starring for Robin Smith’sBunbury XI with 70 pugnacious runs which reminded many of his finestinternational moment when he struck the lanky Australian left arm seamer,Bruce Reid, for a succession of boundaries in the final over of a one-dayinternational in 1987. Graham Thorpe, Mark Nicholas and Mark Butcher werealso among the runs while world record holder, Courtney Walsh was, as ever,the pick of the bowlers in an attack that included the unique openingcombination of McGrath and Michael Holding.But this proved to be merely the hors d’oeuvres as Greenidge and, inparticular, Haynes gobbled up the Bunbury attack including Mike Gatting,Phil Tufnell and Bremner. The discussion on the boundary was why Haynes hadgiven up the first-class game as a range of impudent strokes saw him reach50 in double quick time as the Viv Richards International XI cruised pasttheir target of 239. Greenidge eased his way to 63 – without his famouslimp – while Richards, Alvin Kallicharran and Justin Langer offered thecameos. The only player to miss out was Brian Lara who was bowled by theever impressive impressionist, Bremner.The match was merely a backdrop as more than £27,000 was raised for Marshall’s son, Mali. The talk around the ground was of his father who was sadlymissed by so many of his former team mates and cricket lovers around theworld.