Jack Marsh facts for kids

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Jack Marsh

Personal information
Full name	Jack Marsh
Born	c. 1874 Yulgilbar, New South Wales
Died	25 May 1916 (aged 41–42) Orange, New South Wales
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Role	Fast bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1900–1903	New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 6 Runs scored 40 Batting average 5.00 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 9* Balls bowled 1,370 Wickets 34 Bowling average 21.47 5 wickets in innings 3 10 wickets in match 1 Best bowling 5/34 Catches/stumpings 2/0
Source: CricketArchive, 1 December 2011

Jack Marsh (born around 1874 – died 25 May 1916) was a talented Australian first-class cricketer. He was an Indigenous Australian who played for New South Wales. He played six matches between 1900 and 1903.

Marsh was a right-arm fast bowler. He was known for his incredible speed and athletic ability. Many people thought he was one of the best players of his time. However, his career faced many challenges. People often questioned if his bowling action was fair. He was "no-balled" many times for "throwing". This meant his arm was not straight when he bowled.

Because of these debates, Marsh never played for the national team. Many people believe he missed out due to racial discrimination.

Early Life and Athletic Talent

Jack Marsh was born into the Bundjalung people in Yulgilbar. This area is on the Clarence River in northern New South Wales. Not much is known about his early life. This is because Indigenous Australians were not officially recorded in the same way.

Marsh first became known as a professional runner. He followed his brother Larry to Sydney in 1893. He was a fast sprinter and hurdler. Marsh won several important races. He was very quick over short distances, like 75 yards. He raced in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. Some experts believe Marsh was a world-class sprinter. One sports newspaper reported he ran 100 yards in 9.8 seconds. This was as fast as the world record at the time.

Marsh also showed off his boomerang skills in La Perouse. This suburb had a large Indigenous population. Cricket officials saw him and encouraged him to try cricket.

Starting Cricket: Club Challenges

Marsh began playing cricket in Sydney for South Sydney. His cricket career started with controversy. In November 1897, an umpire called him for "throwing". This happened in a match against Paddington.

Later, Marsh played for Sydney Cricket Club. In November 1900, he played in a trial match. It was against the New South Wales state team. The same umpire, William Curran, again called him for throwing. Marsh had a great day despite this. He took the wickets of famous players like Victor Trumper and Monty Noble.

Marsh was very upset by the throwing calls. He said he would bowl with his arm in splints the next day. He wanted to prove his bowling was fair. The splints would keep his elbow straight. A hospital even gave him a certificate saying he could not bend his elbow. Marsh wanted to show that the umpire was wrong.

The umpire, Curran, then resigned. He felt embarrassed by Marsh's challenge. The media criticized Curran for quitting. Marsh continued to bowl well. He took 6 wickets for 125 runs in that match.

First-Class Cricket Debut

Marsh made his first-class debut in December 1900. He was chosen for New South Wales to play South Australia. This was just a month after the throwing controversy. His selection showed that state officials believed in him.

In his first match, Marsh took 5 wickets for 181 runs. This was a good start. He dismissed Clem Hill, who scored a huge 365 runs. Marsh showed he could bowl out top batsmen.

A week later, Marsh played against Victoria in Melbourne. Another umpire, Bob Crockett, called him for throwing three times. Crockett was worried about how Marsh twisted his wrist. Marsh took 3 wickets for 39 runs and 3 for 51 runs. He dismissed famous players like Peter McAlister and Warwick Armstrong.

Some journalists suggested there was a plan against Marsh. They believed he was targeted because of his race. At this time, there was a big effort in England to stop "throwing" in cricket. Marsh, with his Indigenous background and unique bowling style, became an easy target.

Marsh's third match was against South Australia in January 1901. New South Wales won easily. Marsh took 5 wickets for 34 runs in the first innings. He dismissed top players like Hill and George Giffen. New South Wales scored a massive 918 runs. Marsh then took 5 wickets for 59 runs in the second innings. New South Wales won by a huge margin. This was Marsh's best match. He had taken 21 wickets in three matches.

Controversy and Public Reaction

The debate over Marsh's bowling became very intense in his next match. It was against Victoria again, at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). New South Wales batted first and scored 170 runs.

When Victoria batted, umpire Crockett called Marsh for throwing three times in his very first over. The crowd reacted angrily. They cheered Marsh and booed Crockett. Marsh was called a total of 17 times in that innings. This was the most times any bowler had been called in a first-class innings in Australia. At one point, Marsh got so frustrated he deliberately threw three balls. Despite the calls, his captain, Syd Gregory, kept him bowling from Crockett's end.

The media had mixed reactions to Crockett's calls. Some felt Marsh's deliberate throws were suspicious. Others believed Marsh was unfairly targeted. They thought Crockett was too strict, especially towards an Indigenous player. When Marsh bowled from the other end, the other umpire, Sammy Jones, said his action was fair. But Marsh's confidence was low.

Many people believed Crockett targeted Marsh. They thought it was easier to call an Indigenous player who had faced accusations before. Marsh was also leading the bowling averages, making him a prominent target.

Later Career and Legacy

The controversy continued into the 1901–02 season. The English touring team, led by Archie MacLaren, refused to play against Marsh. Monty Noble, who selected the New South Wales teams, used these complaints to keep Marsh out of state and national teams.

Marsh played only one first-class match that season. It was against Queensland in Brisbane. This match was special because two Indigenous Australians played against each other. The other player was Alec Henry, also a fast bowler. Marsh took 2 wickets for 64 runs and 3 for 67 runs in a drawn match. He bowled three of his victims, showing his speed.

Marsh played his last first-class match in the 1902–03 season, again against Queensland. He scored his highest first-class score of 9 not out. He also took 2 wickets for 39 runs and 3 for 23 runs, helping his team win.

Even though he continued to play well in local cricket, Marsh was never selected for first-class matches again. He was the top wicket-taker in local Sydney cricket for three seasons. He took 158 wickets at an average of 10.94.

Later, when an English team led by Plum Warner toured Australia, there were calls for Marsh to join the Australian Test team. Marsh had bowled very well against the English. But Warner and Noble believed Marsh's bowling was unfair. They said no English umpire would allow it.

Marsh's first-class career ended with only six matches. He took 34 wickets at an average of 21.47. Many believed he was one of Australia's best bowlers. Famous Australian player Warren Bardsley compared Marsh to legendary bowlers like Fred Spofforth and Sydney Barnes. Bardsley said Marsh was kept out of top cricket only because of his race. Another writer, Jack Pollard, stated that Marsh was the best Australian bowler of his time. He believed Marsh was excluded due to the "White Australia policy" and racist practices.

Marsh was popular with his teammates and known for his good sportsmanship. He was an average fielder and not a strong batsman. He was 5 feet 7 inches tall. In later years, he even tried bowling the googly, a different type of spin. Photographs often show him dressed smartly with a mustache.

Later Life and Legacy

After his cricket career ended in 1905, Marsh went back to professional sprinting. He raced against Arthur Postle, Australia's fastest man, in Melbourne. Marsh retired from competitive sports after this race.

Marsh then joined a traveling show, where his cricket fame drew crowds. He later became a worker who moved from place to place.

Jack Marsh died in 1916.

The Jack Marsh History Lecture is held every year by the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust. It started in 2015 and is named in his honor.

See also

• List of New South Wales representative cricketers
• List of cricketers called for throwing in top-class cricket matches in Australia