BJ Watling retires

[Flem274*]

The GOAT New Zealand wicketkeeper batsman has played his final test, ending with victory in the world test championship final.

He retires synonymous with c Watling b Southee/Boult/Wagner, and has scored centuries from the Basin to England.

The essential uphill skier, never a man for wanker runs.

The player who proved me wrong more than any other. A (I thought) completely useless opener turned world class wicketkeeper, and the irrefutable best in the world during his time.

Special teams are marked by players you don't really expect or see coming. Lots of terrible sides have one or two world class or even ATG players, but the best sides always pull a world class player from out of nowhere. In the early years of last decade, a sneakily rising New Zealand said "lol actually this terrible opener who shuffles across his crease is actually a world class wicketkeeper batsman known for tough runs"

What a player, what a guy, what an ace up the sleeve. I ****in' loved watching you man, enjoy your retirement and I hope you still get something cool out of the game in years to come.

 

[Athlai]

And his wonky finger will forever be such a great souvenir the lucky sod

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

My Watling highlight was his post-match interview after winning the MOTM award against England (I think) in Mt Maunganui.

NZ vs ENG Cricket Scorecard, 1st Test at Mount Maunganui, November 21 - 25, 2019

Get cricket scorecard of 1st Test, NZ vs ENG, England in New Zealand 2019/20 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui dated November 21 - 25, 2019.

www.espncricinfo.com

He was so nervous in the interview that it sounded more like he was a character from Beavis & Butthead. Reminded me of some of those times at School when you're unexpectedly called out to present something to the class with no bloody idea what you're going to say.

 

[Bahnz]

His batting has been on the wane over the past 18 months, but his keeping in this test was an absolute clinic. So lovely for him to hang up his gloves, and he’s definitely retiring at the right time, but so sad to see him go. For me there are 6 guys who’ve been the core of this great NZ team and he’s one of him (the others being KW, Boss and the trio). Won’t feel quite the same watching games without him.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

His batting has been on the wane over the past 18 months, but his keeping in this test was an absolute clinic. So lovely for him to hang up his gloves, and he’s definitely retiring at the right time, but so sad to see him go. For me there are 6 guys who’ve been the core of this great NZ team and he’s one of him (the others being KW, Boss and the trio). Won’t feel quite the same watching games without him.

Could add Latham to that core.

 

[Athlai]

His batting has been on the wane over the past 18 months, but his keeping in this test was an absolute clinic. So lovely for him to hang up his gloves, and he’s definitely retiring at the right time, but so sad to see him go. For me there are 6 guys who’ve been the core of this great NZ team and he’s one of him (the others being KW, Boss and the trio). Won’t feel quite the same watching games without him.

It won't be the same but Blundell is probably the most ready replacement we've ever had.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

His keeping on this tour was absolutely brilliant, don't remember him conceding a bye in conditions where everyone found it tough.

My favourite memory is when he won the fielder of the series award in the UAE I think, and tried to sneak the big banner into the team photo so the whole team was posing behind it lol.

 

[Moss]

It won't be the same but Blundell is probably the most ready replacement we've ever had.

Yeah different sort of player, but he's looked like he belongs in international cricket. For a makeshift opener he did a decent enough job, but hopefully now settles into the keeper-batsman role.

Jarrod Kimber published a YouTube tribute a few days ago in which he came up with the stat that BJ had faced the largest number of balls per innings for a number 6/7 over the last decade. NZ will really miss his ability to bat time, so hoping Nicholls can now take his game to the next level.

 

[morgieb]

I don't think anyone personifies the current New Zealand team better than Watling has. His first stint at Test cricket as an opener was crap. He wasn't a full-time keeper at the time. When he was selected as a keeper, he reeked as "stopgap until Ronchi was properly eligible". Yet through sheer persistence and guts, he became the best keeper-batsman in the world. Always pretty safe with the gloves despite not starting his career as one, and his batting was priceless. Always seemed to score runs whenever New Zealand were in trouble, and was extremely difficult to dislodge. While Blundell is as good of a replacement as possible, he is a huge loss.

 

[Howsie]

GOAT New Zealand test keeper and nobody is close IMO.

It’s funny though, BJ in obviously universally loved, especially on CW. But during his first couple of years of international cricket it was the complete opposite. Twatling was used a lot more than Watling back in those days haha

 

[Moss]

GOAT New Zealand test keeper and nobody is close IMO.

It’s funny though, BJ in obviously universally loved, especially on CW. But during his first couple of years of international cricket it was the complete opposite. Twatling was used a lot more than Watling back in those days haha

Wasn't on CW then but can totally imagine it. A lot of selections then (especially when it came to top order batting) seemed to be the back of 1-2 good-not-great seasons or just plain ability/potential, but such was the state I suppose. Also he looked absolutely hopeless against spin when NZ toured Bangladesh/India in 2010. Ironically Watling's List A record was way better than his FC record at the time though, I remember comments floating around as to why Ingram or Shannan Stewart were getting ODI games ahead of him.

In a way he took that very NZ trait of reinventing one's self and excelled like no one else did - guys like Richardson, Astle, Styris all were good examples of guys who didn't start out in the role they ultimately made their own. But Watling trumps them all, should be an inspiration to any struggling international that it's possible to revive and thrive.

 

[M0rphin3]

Haha, still recall those Twatling doom-and-gloom days, but jeez he's been a rock. Will miss him terribly and his legendary rearguards and ever-so-reliable glovework <3

 

[Flem274*]

he'd have made a respectable emergency #3 if kane went down, which is not something you can say for many keepers

 

[SteveNZ]

A prime example that you pick guys not only on ability, but their ability to want to get better. Following an era where no one was overly interested in getting better as international cricketers, Watling spent every day trying to be exactly that. Just a bloody tough, ego-less, team first bloke who goes in the rare category of 'got every inch out of his talent'.

Champion.

 

[honestbharani]

Excellent keeper-batsman. Still have nightmares from this partnership with B Mac and costing us what seemed like a position of certain win. Hope he goes well in retirement and his family and financials are taken care of. Have no idea what the non-T20 players in NZ make, but I hope he goes well.

 

[Aritro]

I still call him Twatling, but that's because, after realising the delights of it during the Watson precedent, I find it fun to add a "t" on the front of any name that starts with "Wat". I hope he knows it's nothing personal.

 

[Bahnz]

Excellent keeper-batsman. Still have nightmares from this partnership with B Mac and costing us what seemed like a position of certain win. Hope he goes well in retirement and his family and financials are taken care of. Have no idea what the non-T20 players in NZ make, but I hope he goes well.

Probably somewhere in the vicinity of 200k NZD, including match fees.

 

[thundaboult]

Probably somewhere in the vicinity of 200k NZD, including match fees.

was watling making that kinda cash? he didn't even play odi's

the money from club cricket playing with ND was probably little too

 

[Athlai]

The NZC Pay structure is 25% of revenue so will change every contract, but in 2016 it went

1st player (Kane) gets max $205,266 retainer (he also gets an extra $ on top of this for being captain, in 2016 it was $40k
then each player after gets $6k less, so 2nd got $199k, 10th $151k down to 21st getting $85k.

They then get a flat rate of $8,495 per test, NZ$3,682 per one-day international and NZ$2,407 for a Twenty20 international.

So Watling is probably somewhere in the $85-150k retainer and gets $8.5k per Test.
Match fee
2016 93
2017 42.5
2018 59.5
2019 68
2020 42.5

So probably $140k-210k per yearish for Watling at that stage of his career.

 

[Bahnz]

It's tough to know, it depends on where he was on the NZ contract's list (which runs from $240 to $100k). Assuming he's somewhere in the middle, and that he'd get paid $5k in match fees per test, $200k seems a fair guess.