In the name of the father

If Mitchell Marsh becomes the 438th Australian to wear the Baggy Green today in Dubai, his father, Geoff, the distinguished former Australia opening batsman, will become just the third Test cricketer to have two sons play the game at the highest level.

New Zealand’s Walter Hadlee and India’s Lala Amarnath are currently the only members of one of Test cricket’s most exclusive clubs.

Mitchell Marsh is set to be capped in Dubai later today in the first Test against Pakistan on the VB Tour of the UAE (play starts at 5pm AEDT). His elder brother, Shaun, made his debut for Australia at Pallekele in Sri Lanka in 2011.

“Like every cricketer says I guess, it would be a dream come true,” Marsh told cricket.com.au recently.

“Something that every young cricketer aspires to do is play cricket for Australia, especially Test cricket, and it’s something I’d be very excited about if I get the opportunity.”

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Geoff, who scored 2,854 runs in 50 Tests between 1985 and 1992, presented his son Shaun with his Baggy Green after he debuted in the second Test when Ricky Ponting flew home for the birth of his second daughter.

Geoff and Shaun became the first father-son Australian Test players since Ted and Syd Gregory, who made their debuts in 1977 and 191 respectively.

Marsh senior is in Dubai for today’s first Test, along with his wife and daughter Melissa, and could have the honour of presenting both sons with their Baggy Green caps.

Walter Hadlee played 11 Tests for New Zealand between 1937 and 1951.

When his son Dayle was selected to play Test cricket 1969, Walter famously said: “They got the wrong Hadlee.”

His youngest son, Sir Richard Hadlee, made his debut four years later and became a true legend of the sport, taking 431 wickets and scoring 3,121 runs in 86 Tests.

His eldest son, Barry, also represented New Zealand, and played two one-day internationals for New Zealand in 1975 – where he was joined in the line-up by his two brothers.

Lala Amarnath scored a century on debut and captained India in 15 of the 24 Tests he played between 1933 and 1952, including to Australia for the 1947-48 series against Don Bradman, and scored 228 against Victoria.

Lala had three sons who were all fine cricketers. Surinder Amarnath played 10 Tests in the late 1970s, while Mohinder Amarnath played over a 19-year career from 1969 and was a hero of India’s 1983 World Cup win. Youngest son, Rajinder Amarnath, played first-class cricket for 17 years.

And the youngest Marsh has earned the support of captain Michael Clarke.

“If conditions are conducive to playing that allrounder, I’m sure Mitch will do fantastic,” he said recently.

“He’s ready for Twenty20 cricket, one-day cricket and Test cricket, now it’s about getting an opportunity.

“The selectors will make that decision, and I’m sure he’ll grab it with both hands.

“He’s as ready as I’ve seen him, so I think if he’s given the chance in any format, he’ll do well.”