It may seem inconsequential in the light of everything else going on in the world at the moment but the game of cricket lost two of its luminaries within a day last week.

Hot on the heels of the news of the death of Rodney Marsh – one of the best wicketkeepers of my lifetime – came news of the death of Shane Warne, arguably the best spin bowler of the second half of the twentieth century (if not all time) and certainly in the top two.

Marsh made a formidable foil to the bowling of Dennis Lillee and also with Lillee’s strike partner Jeff Thomson. ct Marsh b Lillee is still the record for Test match dismissals by any combination of players.

Warne’s ‘Ball of the Century’ is still jaw-dropping.

He once held the record but is still the second highest wicket taker in Test history.

Rodney William Marsh: 4/11/1947 – 4/3/2022. So it goes.

Shane Keith Warne: 13/91969 – 4/3/2022. So it goes.