Family affair: Binny is not the only cricket gen-next to play World Cup 2015

When Mitchell Marsh stunned England with a five-wicket haul in co-hosts Australia’s 111-run thrashing of England in their opening World Cup match it represented the latest chapter in a remarkable family history. Saturday’s match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was Marsh’s World Cup debut and his return came 28 years after his father, Geoff Marsh, marked his first match in the tournament with a hundred against India at Chennai. Australia went on to win the 1987 World Cup, with opener Marsh a mainstay of the side. [caption id=“attachment_2100811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Binny is not alone: AFP[/caption] Marsh’s eldest son, Shaun, a batsman, has also followed him into the international arena and just missed out on selection for Australia’s squad. After presenting Mitchell with his prized ‘baggy green’ cap, Marsh, who had a stint as Australia coach, joked “speak to my wife, we should have kept going!” as he confirmed his own personal production line of international cricketers was at an end. Marsh is not the only player at this World Cup looking to emulate his father by lifting the trophy. Medium-pacer Roger Binny was one of the stars of India’s shock success in winning the 1983 World Cup. Not only is his son Stuart a bowler of similar type, but Roger Binny is now a member of India’s selection panel and, inevitably, there have been accusations of nepotism when it comes to the make-up of their World Cup squad. However, Sunil Gavaskar insisted such charges were wide of the mark. “Stuart Binny will be handy with bat and ball in Australia and New Zealand. It’s (his selection) not because he is Roger Binny’s son,” Gavaskar told NDTV, adding Roger Binny always removed himself from selection meetings when Stuart’s name came up for consideration. But while the Binnys are on the same side that is not the case for two members of the Simmons’ family, who found themselves in opposition on Monday with Lendl playing for the West Indies against an Ireland team coached by uncle Phil, himself a former West Indies batsman. Brothers too have made their mark on the World Cup with Umar Akmal, Pakistan’s wicketkeeper in their tournament-opening loss to India, succeeding Kamran, the team’s gloveman at the 2011 edition, behind the stumps. Meanwhile Ireland’s O’Briens, Niall and Kevin, are seasoned World Cup campaigners. Four years ago, Kevin carved out his own place in cricket history with the fastest-ever World Cup hundred, scoring 113 off just 63 balls as Ireland recorded a stunning win over England while Niall made an unbeaten fifty against the Netherlands. The first World Cup, in England in 1975, saw Don Pringle represent minnows East Africa who, unsurprisingly lost all three of their pool matches. But Derek Pringle, Don’s son, enjoyed rather more in the way of World Cup success and, but for a disputed lbw decision, might have bowled England to victory in the 1992 final they lost to Pakistan in Melbourne. The inaugural World Cup almost resulted in a sibling success for the Chappell brothers, with skipper Ian and Greg both members of the Australia side beaten by the West Indies in a memorable final at Lord’s. But 24 years later at Lord’s, Steve Waugh led an Australia side featuring twin brother Mark – nicknamed ‘junior’ as he is the younger of the pair – to victory over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup final. “Being born a twin is a big thing, though,” Waugh said in an interview with Inside Sport magazine. “It made you competitive and you stood out. That gave us that competitive hard streak. “We relied on each other and probably got more opportunities because we were twins.” New Zealand’s McCullum brothers will be looking to emulate the Waugh brothers at this World Cup, although off-spinner Nathan will need to force his way past Daniel Vettori if he is to join skipper Brendon McCullum in the Black Caps’ side. AFP