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The Barbados Nation Call For 'Maco' Stand
Philip Spooner - 15 January 2001

Former England batsman Robin Smith told NATIONSPORT he was urging the Barbados Cricket Association to erect a structure in memory of the former Barbados and West Indies fast bowling legend, who died of colon cancer on November 4, 1999.

Marshall, who once held the West Indies Test wickets record and was also Barbados captain, took 376 in 81 Tests at an average of 20.94 each.

"Sitting in the Kensington Stand with Richard Scott (a former Hampshire County Club opener), we saw the Sobers Stand, the 3Ws, the Mitchie Hewitt Stand and others, but we saw none for `Maco'," said Smith, a former teammate of Marshall at Hampshire in England.

"Richard said to me: Is there a Marshall Stand? I said `no' but I can only assume that there will be one soon. "

"I appreciate that there is only so much room and you can't just change the name of a stand, but I think that soon the officials should look at the area between the (southern) sightscreen and the scoreboard and build a `Maco' Stand," said Smith, who was at Kensington Oval for the Busta Cup match between Barbados and Jamaica.

"There are many great legends from Barbados and they can't all get stands, but I would love to some day come back to Barbados and see a stand or something in honour of the magnificent contribution Marshall gave to this country."

The 37-year-old South Africa-born Smith, a former England No. 3, was an excellent backfoot player in his 62 Tests where he made 4,236 runs (average 43.67) including nine centuries.

Smith said that already Hampshire has decided to name the entrance gates at their new ground the Malcolm Marshall Gates.

The new facility at West End, outside of Southampton, is slated to cost £27 million (about BDS$78 million) and will have a 'strong Marshall presence'. Marshall played at Hampshire between 1979 and 1993.

Smith added that the current West Indies fast bowlers would do well to emulate Marshall.

"He had a wonderful ability to put the ball wherever he wanted and this is one problem the West Indies fast bowlers have. They don't seem to know where to put the ball. That's mainly not having the ability to bowl the same ball in the same area six out of six," Smith said at the Casaurina Beach Hotel.

"Maco had good pace, could swing the ball both ways, hit the seam and land the ball in the same area often. But these guys are learning, and they could watch some Marshall videos."

© The Barbados Nation


Teams West Indies.
First Class Teams Barbados.
Players/Umpires Malcolm Marshall.
Season West Indies Domestic Season
Grounds Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

Source: The Barbados Nation
Editorial comments can be sent to The Barbados Nation at nationnews@sunbeach.net