It was a treat to watch a youthful Charlie Marshall patrol the covers, adorned in his trademark floppy hat. In those days, the early Eighties, batsmen drove in the air at their risk because he dropped very little.

In fact, two catches in the annual classic at Somerset Cricket Club to dismiss Colin Blades and Gladstone “Sad” Brown, were simply brilliant. As a cover point fielder, he had no equal in Bermuda cricket — he seemingly dropped nothing. Tony Cozier, a visiting cricket journalist, ranked Charlie in the top five fielders in the world at the time.

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Name: Charles McDonald Marshall Jr

Born: May 10, 1961

Start in cricket: I played lots of cricket at Francis Patton Primary School. This was with Kurt, Mark and Roger Trott, Ricky Hill, Terry Burgess and my cousin Roy.

Length of cricket career: I began playing at Bailey’s Bay at age 13. I played with the second XI. I have played one match in 2014, but that should be the only one.

Team role: Initially, I was a fielder and progressed to become an early-order bat and a part-time medium-pace bowler.

Childhood memories in the game: I played on a field at Claytown. Rupert “Nick” Hollis was very influential in my development. He was the only other left-handed batsman in the neighbourhood and he taught me a lot. (As a 14-year-old, Charlie had the honour of being named the most outstanding fielder in the double wicket competition, which was won that year by Clive Lloyd and Lee Raynor.)

Teams: Bailey’s Bay, St George’s, Young Men’s Social Club (I was player coach for five years and helped them to two league titles), SICL selects, Bermuda Under-19 and Bermuda.

Nickname: None.

Most memorable domestic match: During my first year of senior cricket, I scored a century at Rangers Oval.

Best international feat: I made runs all over the world, all the time. I was not just a local cricketer. It was my job to make runs and that’s what I did. (During the 1994 ICC Trophy tour to Kenya, Charlie led the tournament at one point with an average of 164. He was also the captain of the 1979 Bermuda team that won the International Youth Tournament in Canada. Charlie indicated that Bob Jones was the best coach that he ever had.)

Favourite venue: Southampton Rangers Oval. Mr Harley Raynor took great care of, not just the wicket, but the outfield also. It was a pleasure to play at the Oval.

Favourite international player: Sachin Tendulkar.

Number one supporter: My father. He came to all of my matches in Bermuda. He didn’t come to my overseas games, however, as he is afraid of flying.

Pre-match routines: I would clean my gear the night before games. Sometimes I would put pinholes in my bat and put some fresh linseed oil on the bat, I’d have a swim before the game, then make sure I was at the match venue early, so that I could warm up and then relax before the game.

Favourite food while playing: Fish and salad, and a starch, perhaps some rice.

Biggest regrets: Not going to the World Cup with Bermuda. While I was out fishing with my son, I was informed by Neil Speight, that I was dropped. Up to this day, I haven’t been told why. Also, being dropped twice, from Cup Match, by the Smith brothers.

Superstitions: I used to sit in the same spot in the changing rooms at Bay and at St. George’s. I also use to consume a special beverage, made in Holland, during matches. I would use a special cup during these “water breaks”.

Funniest thing you have seen in cricket: While on a cricket tour to Guyana, Dennis Wainwright was our manager. He gave the team a very serious talk the night before we left to come home, about the dangers of drugs and packing your own bags. Around 11 o’clock that night, I called Mr Wainwright’s room and told Dennis that he was needed at the Guyana Police Station because Del Hollis had been arrested for drug possession. Dennis ordered a taxi and raced down to the local police station, only to be told that he had been pranked.

On another occasion, manager Rudolph Lawrence was presenting a gift to an overseas manager at a post-game ceremony. Instead of presenting a book about Bermuda, he passed the gentleman a copy of a cricket magazine with Courtney Walsh on the cover, which he was reading at the time.

My other great laugh was seeing Delby Borden wear a tie during a post-game presentation. His neck was so big that once his tie was on, only three inches of the tie showed.

A key to your success: I trained hard and prepared myself. In those days, we had about 20 to 30 people who wanted to play Cup Match.

Advice to today’s cricketer: Put in the time. I believe the talent is there, but the players must put in their time. It helps you to concentrate longer and last through the heat.

Motto you believe in: Get tough. Only the strong survive. It doesn’t matter the circumstances; just get tough.

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I blame Charlie for causing me to make my only duck in an 18-year Cup Match career. For, when a friend of mine from Seattle, informed me that she was visiting over the Cup Match holiday and was bringing a very beautiful stewardess friend along with her, I made the mistake of taking Charlie along with me to meet them at the Palmetto Bay hotel.

What was intended to be a brief chat and drink by the pool, turned into about a four-hour conversation. Anyone who knows Charlie is cognisant that he is a social butterfly. Needless to say, we left only when he was good and ready.

The next day at Cup Match, during the first innings, he scored a duck and so did I. At the end of play, he had the temerity to ask me whether I was going by the resort again that evening. Of course, I didn’t and scored 96 during the second innings. He had the honour of recording a second duck the next day.

My other most embarrassing moment in life came while in his presence as well. For, after a fishing trip one night, along with a nameless third party, I caused the punt to capsize. In the dark of the night, in Mullet Bay, there we were, soaking wet and struggling to stay afloat in heavy clothing. Charlie, just as he had done years ago in his Cup Match youth, was diving and reaching for the fish. He was not about to let any catch elude his grasp.