Wicketkeeper for 1966-85 World XI

[aussie tragic]

This is a 5-day Poll to pick the best Wicketkeeper for the “1966-85 World Test XI”

Wicketkeeper Nominees (Only records during 1966-85 are considered)

Jeff Dujon: 33 Tests, 110 dismissals (108/2) @ 3.3 per test, 1764 runs @ 44.10 (4/8)
Alan Knott: 95 Tests, 269 dismissals (250/19) @ 2.8 per test, 4389 runs @ 32.75 (5/30)
Rod Marsh: 96 Tests, 355 dismissals (343/12) @ 3.7 per test, 3633 runs @ 26.51 (3/16)

 

[sideshowtim]

Marsh's dismissals are probably inflated by the fact that he had blokes like Lillee and Thompson bowling. Great Aussie cricketer but I'm going to have to go against every bone in my Australian body that is yelling Marsh and go with the Pom. Knott.

 

[Anil]

marsh

 

[aussie tragic]

Marsh's dismissals are probably inflated by the fact that he had blokes like Lillee and Thompson bowling. Great Aussie cricketer but I'm going to have to go against every bone in my Australian body that is yelling Marsh and go with the Pom. Knott.

So you're rewarding Knott because the English bowlers were crap. How do you know that he wouldn't have dropped a few more if he had the workload of Marsh

Anyway, Marsh for me.

 

[sideshowtim]

So you're rewarding Knott because the English bowlers were crap. How do you know that he wouldn't have dropped a few more if he had the workload of Marsh

Anyway, Marsh for me.

Haha, had to factor batting into it too mate and Knott was slightly better in that aspect.

 

[aussie tragic]

Haha, had to factor batting into it too mate and Knott was slightly better in that aspect.

Yeah, it's a shame Marsh's batting dropped of in the latter years as he was averaging over 30 until his 66th test (high 30's up until his 41st Test).

 

[PhoenixFire]

Knott, better than all the rest I say.

 

[Perm]

Rod Marsh

 

[Burgey]

Knott - comedy value too with that batting stance.

Speaking of which, what's with Yardy's movements before the ball is bowled? We don't want clones and everyone has their own style, but if a bloke's pumping the ball down to you at 135-150kph, surely you want to keep your head a bit still?

 

[R_D]

Alan Knott.

 

[aussie]

Knott

 

[bagapath]

dujon for me. stylish bat. fearless cutter and driver with superb foot work. averaged in 40s and high 30s for most of his career. and an acrobatic wicket keeper. watching him keep to marshall, garner, holding, ambrose, walsh and bishop was one of the best cricket watching experiences we could get in those days.

 

[aussie tragic]

This team will consist of 3 pace bowlers out of Marshall, Lillee, Thomson, Garner, Holding, Croft or Hadlee.

Therefore, it has to be Marsh or Dujon for me as they are the best keepers to express bowling.

Also, I wouldn't worry about the batting so much as the WK will probably bat at # 8 (with Sobers at # 6 and Botham/Imran/Dev at # 7.

 

[oz_fan]

Marsh for me.

 

[JBH001]

Knotty for me - quality all around.

Btw, where does this assumption that Knott could not keep to pacers come from?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

As a wicketkeeper Alan Knott was way ahead of the other two. Interestly though, Knott himself always rated Wasim Bari as the best of his era purely based on wicketkeeping.

 

[aussie tragic]

Knotty for me - quality all around.

Btw, where does this assumption that Knott could not keep to pacers come from?

I didn't say that Knott couldn't keep to pacers, I just think Marsh and Dujon were better as they had to keep to express bowlers for their entire careers......

....besides I want Marsh to win

 

[JBH001]

Oh, fair enough!

Really though, Knotty kept to Snow and Willis who were two quick bowlers though perhaps not in the same express category as, say, Thommo and Holding.

But, as far as keeping goes, Knotty was I think clearly superior to the other two and would have no problems keeping to really express bowlers. Moreover, his technique and all-around ability would be ideal to keep to all bowlers in all conditions, as you would expect in any best of XI.

Moreover, there seems to be a presumption that Sobers will bat at #6, with another fast bowling all-rounder at #7 the w/k at #8. and 3 genuine quicks, or 2 genuine quicks and a spinner at #9/#10/#11. I do not see why this has to be the case.

There is a good case for Sobers to bat at #5, for a genuine fast bowling all-rounder at #6, the w/k at #7 and 3 genuine quicks and a genuine spinner to fill up the rest of the positions. The later part of that era saw some great quicks, it would be shame not to have more of them in there, this even more so if you think of including Hadlee or Kapil, for instance, to the squad who can then take the #8 spot. Ideally, that would give you perhaps potentially, the most lethal bowling attack of all time!

In this case, you would want a good w/k bat and Knotty would be ideal, as a great keeper and a very good batsman - especially in sticky situations where wickets have fallen quickly. So, yeah, imo, Knotty ftw!

 

[luffy]

Alan Knott(i have just heard good things about him, as i wasnt born when any of them played)

 

[JBH001]

Have you voted for him? The votes are still tied from when I posted and Knotty may need your vote!

Btw, another point about Sobers batting at #5 I thought about this morning on my way to Uni. It also means you could potentially play 2 spinners - as that era saw some great spinners too, from the Indian quartet to Deadly from England and Gibbs from WI.

That way, you could have 2 express openers say Lillee and Marshall, a fast bowling all-rounder like Botham or Imran, and 2 spinners, say Underwood and Prasanna, or Chandra and Gibbs etc with Sobers to fill in the support bowler role.

That would be a really cool attack, one to take on anyone, anywhere.