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Nightwatchman theory ...

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
If you tell us what you mean by night watchman theory then maybe we can discuss.

Do you mean the idea of a night watchman itself?

Or some theory about them?
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Is this about stacking the leg side and bowling bouncers at the nightwatchman? I'm all for it.
 

GuyFromLancs

State Vice-Captain
Statistically a nightwatchman scores less runs as a nightwatchman than he does in his natural position. Add to that, when he gets out, it adds more pressure on the proper batsman behind him who now has less potential partners.

And the idea that a proper number 4 (for example) can't defend for 20 minutes but a number 10 can is stupid.

And the whole thing reeks of superstition and metaphysical solutions
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
How often is the nightwatchman out before the close?

As his function is not to score runs per se I would have thought that was a rather more useful stat in the context of this issue than how many runs he ultimately gets, although I'd be curious to know where you get that information from as well
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
Have a spell.
Is that your standard response to someone who happens to share a different opinion to you?

GFL, I agree with you, hate the idea and always have. One of the first things Andrew Strauss wanted to address as captain was the use of nightwatchmen as he wasn't in favour either. He raised it at a team meeting and got shot down from all corners........apparently it's never been discussed since.
 

Mark68

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
KP should be used as England's night watchman. All part of the general chaos theory preached by Flower and the boys.
 

James

Cricket Web Owner
Not sure if there's a way of gathering statistics on this or not, but the impression I've had over the past 5 years or so that we're seeing far less of nightwatchmen being used compared to previous generations. Anyone else share that view? Something to do with the modern day cricketer perhaps, but I feel with even a number 11 needing to hold a bat these days, nightwatchmen would be in a better position to hold up an end compared to the past.

My lasting impression of nightwatchmen is Danny Morrison taking that role for the Kiwis through the 90s. Not sure how his stats were when he took that role but probably horrible!
 

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
Such a negative tactic. James, my impression is that England use it all the time.

It increases the chance that the next morning there will be a period of stagnation and/or an early wicket to energise the fielding team, and increases the chance that a relatively good batsman will be left stranded by running out of partners at the end of the innings (eg Lord's 2013 when Jimmy's deployment as NWM meant that our last 2 men in were Swann and Broad).
 

GuyFromLancs

State Vice-Captain
There was an article I read on the stats a month back.

IIRC it said the average for a nightwatchman since 1980 was 12 as a nightwatchman, and 14 in his proper position.

I'll try find it
 

GuyFromLancs

State Vice-Captain
But anyway, as mentioned there are a myriad of reasons the theory is flawed.

Good point from Zaremba too. Namely that we're treated to Jimmy Anderson facing a refreshed bowling attack first thing in the morning. It's just ridiculous and stunts the progress of the batting team
 

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
re post 14: Interesting. And as fred points out an important part of the picture is whether the NWM succeeds in lasting till the close or not.

I'd feel a bit better about it if the man selected for the job wasn't a complete tailender but someone with the ability and willingness to play an attacking innings the next day.
 

Riggins

International Captain
There was an article I read on the stats a month back.

IIRC it said the average for a nightwatchman since 1980 was 12 as a nightwatchman, and 14 in his proper position.

I'll try find it
It's obviously going to be harder for a number 10 etc. to bat at the top of the order.
 

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