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Aussie Marsh pledges to make England superpower
London, Nov 15: Former Australian Test star Rodney Marsh has predicted that the English could become the world`s leading cricket nation within five years.
London, Nov 15: Former Australian Test star Rodney Marsh has predicted that the English could become the world's leading cricket nation within five years.
"I don't see any reason why that can't happen, no reason at all," said Marsh the former Aussie wicketkeeper presiding over the opening of the new England Cricket Academy.
Marsh is now director of the academy which is based at Loughborough University in the English midlands.
The Queen opened the new 4.5-million-pound complex which by 2007 is expected to be producing 95 per cent of England's international cricketers.
It has six nets with individual tracks to assist the development of spin, fast and medium-pace bowlers while bowling machines are able to dispatch deliveries at 100 mph.
"I think Australia will find the next 10 years much more difficult than they found the last 10, simply because they will be losing players like Shane Warne," Marsh said.
"Shane is probably the best bowler the world's ever seen and players like that aren't easy to replace. But in England we now have the best facilities in the world and, as a player, there's no better place to be," he added.
"We have the best facilities in the world here, appreciably in front of anywhere else, and it's a great place for the players to come in and work on their game," he said.
"If I can get even one player from each academy year into the Test side then I count that as success because in 10 years' time at that rate you've got the backbone of the team."
Bureau Report
Marsh is now director of the academy which is based at Loughborough University in the English midlands.
The Queen opened the new 4.5-million-pound complex which by 2007 is expected to be producing 95 per cent of England's international cricketers.
It has six nets with individual tracks to assist the development of spin, fast and medium-pace bowlers while bowling machines are able to dispatch deliveries at 100 mph.
"I think Australia will find the next 10 years much more difficult than they found the last 10, simply because they will be losing players like Shane Warne," Marsh said.
"Shane is probably the best bowler the world's ever seen and players like that aren't easy to replace. But in England we now have the best facilities in the world and, as a player, there's no better place to be," he added.
"We have the best facilities in the world here, appreciably in front of anywhere else, and it's a great place for the players to come in and work on their game," he said.
"If I can get even one player from each academy year into the Test side then I count that as success because in 10 years' time at that rate you've got the backbone of the team."
Bureau Report