Wicket Keepers

[Armadillo]

IMO skillful glove workers are in decline in the world arena, there are now very few keepers who can win matches for their teams, some might argue that wicket keeping is better than ever at this with Gilchrist at his peak but if you really think about it his glovework isn't that brilliant. Who has the best glovework in the world right now. My vote goes to Rashid Latif I still think he's the man for the job for Pakistan.

[Rik]

Originally posted by Armadillo
IMO skillful glove workers are in decline in the world arena, there are now very few keepers who can win matches for their teams, some might argue that wicket keeping is better than ever at this with Gilchrist at his peak but if you really think about it his glovework isn't that brilliant. Who has the best glovework in the world right now. My vote goes to Rashid Latif I still think he's the man for the job for Pakistan.

I agree with you there, Latif is the best gloveman out of that list by far, looked a real natural and also had a rustic charm about his batting. But as a gloveman, superb.

[Swervy]

Jack Russell up until very recently I thought was still the best keeper in the world...has he retired yet?

[Armadillo]

He retired from the international scene ages ago.

[Swervy]

yeah i know, but for Gloucestershire he was still damned good

[Rik]

Originally posted by Swervy
yeah i know, but for Gloucestershire he was still damned good

Jack's still going strong or so I've heard.

[Swervy]

good...i do enjoy watching him play..when he is on top form, he can actually change the way a game is going just through his keeping alone

[Richard]

Originally posted by Armadillo
there are now very few keepers who can win matches for their teams

There has never, ever been a wicketkeeper who can win a match for his team, with his wicketkeeping.
There have always been wicketkeepers who play large parts in the losing of matches, but it can't work the other way around.
When you don the wicketkeeping gloves, you are expected to take something that comes in your direction. It is as simple as that. Of course, no-one is going to take everything, but you've just got to get as close as you can to it.
Any wicketkeeper who drops a ball has let himself down, be it a nicked delivery, a left delivery, a delivery that's been played-and-missed at, a throw from the outfield, anything.
Wicketkeeping is a hard art. The best wicketkeepers are noted only when a game is not going on. When it is, they do best to do the stuff no-one will take any real notice of.

[Richard]

Anyway, regarding the issue - on that list Latif is easily the best IMO. But he's never been quite in Jack Russell's league.
Of course, there could always be someone playing in the Arabic domestic league or something who outperforms them all, but of the ones I've seen, no-one surpasses RC Russell.

[Rik]

Originally posted by Richard
There has never, ever been a wicketkeeper who can win a match for his team, with his wicketkeeping.
There have always been wicketkeepers who play large parts in the losing of matches, but it can't work the other way around.
When you don the wicketkeeping gloves, you are expected to take something that comes in your direction. It is as simple as that. Of course, no-one is going to take everything, but you've just got to get as close as you can to it.
Any wicketkeeper who drops a ball has let himself down, be it a nicked delivery, a left delivery, a delivery that's been played-and-missed at, a throw from the outfield, anything.
Wicketkeeping is a hard art. The best wicketkeepers are noted only when a game is not going on. When it is, they do best to do the stuff no-one will take any real notice of.

Oh there are, what about the wicket-keepers who have taken 7 catches in an innings? Isn't that winning the game for their team?

[Rik]

How did I guess Gilchrist would end up in the lead? Lack of thought? Aussie Bias? Come on, as a package he's superb, as a keeper he's not bad, but he's not the best.

[twctopcat]

It's a big shame they're are no specialist wicketkeepers in the test arena anymore, such is the need for 7 batsmen. Still great watching people like Jack Russell stand up to medium-fast bowlers, gives the batsmen an extra thing to worry about, great skill to have but sadly not seen much nowadays.

[Richard]

Russell never stands-up to Smith, Harvey and Lewis in the First-Class game - no need. Do more harm than good.
It's the one-day game where he does it special.
I don't think it matters that you don't have specialist wks any more - just because you can bat well, doesn't mean you can't still be a brilliant wicketkeeper. Look at Alan Knott.

[Richard]

Originally posted by Rik
Oh there are, what about the wicket-keepers who have taken 7 catches in an innings? Isn't that winning the game for their team?

No, it's just doing what you expect a wicketkeeper to do.

[twctopcat]

Originally posted by Richard
Russell never stands-up to Smith, Harvey and Lewis in the First-Class game - no need. Do more harm than good.
It's the one-day game where he does it special.
I don't think it matters that you don't have specialist wks any more - just because you can bat well, doesn't mean you can't still be a brilliant wicketkeeper. Look at Alan Knott.

That's my point, Alan Knott doesn't exactly have an active career anymore does he? If there were plenty like him still about i wouldn't be reminiscing.