MALCOLM Marshall's untimely death continues to send shock tremors through the cricket world.

Hampshire chief executive Tony Baker described the club as in a state of "utter confusion" as tributes continued to pour in and the question arises as to what sort of memorial could be founded for Marshall.

With Hampshire due to move to their new HQ at West End in the year 2001, there have been calls for the club to commemorate their favourite overseas son in a permanent form, either in the shape of a statue or plaque, or by naming part of the new ground after him.

Questions have also been raised as to whether the developers of the County Ground site in Northlands Road, Berkley Homes, will want to include some sort of tribute to Marshall in the development.

"We really don't know at the moment," said Baker. "Malcolm's death has left us all in a state of shock and utter confusion and we probably need to let the dust settle a bit and take stock.

"There is a scheduled regular executive committee meeting next Thursday and I have no doubt the subject of a memorial to Malcolm will be discussed." Baker added that the club's switchboard was inundated with calls of sympathy from around the world.

"We had numerous calls from Australia, one of which was from Malcolm's old club Waverley who he played for while he was out there.

"They were as shocked as everyone and all their players will be wearing black armbands for their matches over this weekend.

"There was also a minute's silence for him before the start of the Australia-Pakistan Test match and I think that shows the regard in which he was held throughout the cricket world."

Details of Marshall's funeral arrangements have yet to be announced, and Baker said: "We would obviously like to send somebody to represent the club, but if his family decide on a private affair then we will obviously accept that."

Hampshire captain Robin Smith was visibly shaken by Marshall's death and said: "God must be short of angels because he's taken one up there with him. Sportsmen use words like 'tragedy' all the time when it's hardly appropriate. This is a tragedy when a lovely man like this is taken from us at the age of 41.

"I shall miss him terribly, not just as a cricketer but as a good mate as well."

Another former Hampshire team-mate of Marshall's was ex-England batsman David Gower, who said one of his prime reasons for joining Hampshire was that he would not have to face him at the other end.

Gower described Marshall as: "As good as they come.

"He held sway from the early 1980s, throughout that decade he was the main man. He had a great ability not just to bowl quickly but what made it worse for the batsman was his ability to do a lot with the ball."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.