Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
If you think that Gilchrist is only passable as a wicket keeper you should be carried away...........by men in white coats.
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Boucher vs Gilchrist - Wicketkeeping
- Thread starter ozone
- Start date
Rollypolly1
Banned
Boucher is most definitely better than Gilly when it comes to keeping to pacers. But Boucher is one of the poorest long-standing international wicketkeepers in history of cricket when it comes to keeping to spin. He was worse than any keeper against spin keeping to a bunch of no-variety,little-turn bowlers like Boje and Adams, i can only imagine what Warne/Kumble/Murali/Bhajji would've done to him if he had to keep to them for a period of time.
Gilly is not that hot of a keeper but has exceptionally safe hands. He rarely drops or fumbles the ball as it comes to him- less than any keeper i've seen (Healey/Knott included) but he most definitely is lacking in footwork and acrobatics keeping to high quality genuine pacemen.
He is by far the best wicket-keeper batsman i've seen ( Flower was a much better batsman but barely adequate as a keeper) but i still wouldn't include him in my alltime XI- simply because, i do not believe in picking an above-average wicketkeeper(in keeping skills) just for his batting prowess.
The way i see it, if the lineup has players like Hobbs,Gavaskar,Richards,Bradman,Tendulkar and Sobers in it, Gillchrist's batting skills are irrelevant. If this lineup comes up against a pitch/bowling combo that has them at 50/5, i doubt Gilly would make it beyond single digits more than 1 outta 10 times.
I'd much rather have someone like Knott or Murray, who are far superior keepers than Gilly is.
Gilly is not that hot of a keeper but has exceptionally safe hands. He rarely drops or fumbles the ball as it comes to him- less than any keeper i've seen (Healey/Knott included) but he most definitely is lacking in footwork and acrobatics keeping to high quality genuine pacemen.
He is by far the best wicket-keeper batsman i've seen ( Flower was a much better batsman but barely adequate as a keeper) but i still wouldn't include him in my alltime XI- simply because, i do not believe in picking an above-average wicketkeeper(in keeping skills) just for his batting prowess.
The way i see it, if the lineup has players like Hobbs,Gavaskar,Richards,Bradman,Tendulkar and Sobers in it, Gillchrist's batting skills are irrelevant. If this lineup comes up against a pitch/bowling combo that has them at 50/5, i doubt Gilly would make it beyond single digits more than 1 outta 10 times.
I'd much rather have someone like Knott or Murray, who are far superior keepers than Gilly is.
Corli
U19 Cricketer
I imagine if Boucher kept to quality spinners for a period of time, his 'keeping against spin would improve. But yes, at the moment he's no great shakes against spin.
Regarding the standing up, he doesn't often stand up to express pace, but he's quite good standing against up to 'slower' pace bowling. He did made a stumping while standing up to Pollock once, apparently to Pollock's great embarrassment.
bond21
Banned
I think hes confusing Gilchrist with Rod Marsh...who was called Iron Gloves.
People think Gilchrist is a batsman who keeps, hes not, hes a wicketkeeper first and foremost, by his own admission who is extraordinary with the bat aswell.
I dont know much about Geraint Jones, but I have read that he is first and foremost a batsman, who also keeps. Problem was he didnt get any runs so that was useless.
Gilly said that he concentrates on his keeping more than batting, whereas Jones probably wouldve been likely to concentrate on batting slightly more, who knows, just a thought.
Nowadays a keeper has to be able to bat, which is why England have picked batsmen as keepers who can keep a little bit, like Jones, dont know much about Prior.
Anyway to the point, I would pick Gilchrist always over Boucher.
And I have seen Boucher drop absolute sitters, like one off Alan Donald. Donald went around the wicket to a right hander, pushed it across and got an edge, Boucher dropped it, looked up at Donald who was absolutely ropeable, he was furious, then Boucher basically hid in his gloves for a few seconds.
People think Gilchrist is a batsman who keeps, hes not, hes a wicketkeeper first and foremost, by his own admission who is extraordinary with the bat aswell.
I dont know much about Geraint Jones, but I have read that he is first and foremost a batsman, who also keeps. Problem was he didnt get any runs so that was useless.
Gilly said that he concentrates on his keeping more than batting, whereas Jones probably wouldve been likely to concentrate on batting slightly more, who knows, just a thought.
Nowadays a keeper has to be able to bat, which is why England have picked batsmen as keepers who can keep a little bit, like Jones, dont know much about Prior.
Anyway to the point, I would pick Gilchrist always over Boucher.
And I have seen Boucher drop absolute sitters, like one off Alan Donald. Donald went around the wicket to a right hander, pushed it across and got an edge, Boucher dropped it, looked up at Donald who was absolutely ropeable, he was furious, then Boucher basically hid in his gloves for a few seconds.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Never understood why bowlers are embarrased to get a wicket TBH. If a wicketkeeper can stand-up to you as a bowler it's a great advantage, not a sign of weakness in the bowler.
Top_Cat
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Saw Gillie do the same thing down the legside to McGrath in a ODI.
It's a macho thing. In the case of Pollock, formerly quite pacey, it would seem a bit emasculating. I guess you'd have to be quick to understand.
Personally, rate Gillie better. Seemed to make fewer errors.
Ikki
Hall of Fame Member
That's pretty much it.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
I understand it's a macho thing, but I don't understand why macho is more important than being an effective bowler.It's a macho thing. In the case of Pollock, formerly quite pacey, it would seem a bit emasculating. I guess you'd have to be quick to understand.
Just seems woeful psychology.Pollock was never that quick after his injury in 1997, anyway - he was only ever seriously quick for a tiny portion of his career.
ozone
First Class Debutant
Think that was Trent Bridge, 1998. It was a couple of overs after Donald had Atherton caught behind off the glove and Atherton hadn't walked or been give and he was really worked up at the time. The catch was off Hussain and it was an absolute sitter but Boucher made a meal of it.
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Gilchrist can try and fool us all he likes, but we all know he's a batsman that keeps. That's not to say he isn't an excellent wicketkeeper.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Was about 12 overs after IIRR. Though that little passage of play naturally seemed rather longer than it might actually have been.
ozone
First Class Debutant
Yea, I wasn't sure but I knew it was part of the same spell from Donald where he bowled extreme pace for such a long time. And, TBF, Donald was still pretty pumped up an hour after the decision.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Yeah, he was - most thrilling passage of cricket I've ever seen.
Think the bad decision was in his 2nd over of the spell or summat, then the next ball went for four off the inside-edge. Then the drop off Hussain was in his last or 2nd-last over, and I'm sure the spell of play was an hour or so.
Annoyingly, that Test was the season before CricInfo started ball-by-ball commentaries.
So no way to see what the actual overs-in-spell was.
Think the bad decision was in his 2nd over of the spell or summat, then the next ball went for four off the inside-edge. Then the drop off Hussain was in his last or 2nd-last over, and I'm sure the spell of play was an hour or so.
Annoyingly, that Test was the season before CricInfo started ball-by-ball commentaries.
So no way to see what the actual overs-in-spell was.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Here it isIt's a macho thing. In the case of Pollock, formerly quite pacey, it would seem a bit emasculating. I guess you'd have to be quick to understand.
I would like to see a youtube of it though.
ozone
First Class Debutant
Yea, but found highlights of it on Youtube recentlyYeah, he was - most thrilling passage of cricket I've ever seen.
Think the bad decision was in his 2nd over of the spell or summat, then the next ball went for four off the inside-edge. Then the drop off Hussain was in his last or 2nd-last over, and I'm sure the spell of play was an hour or so.
Annoyingly, that Test was the season before CricInfo started ball-by-ball commentaries.
Here it is.
And also found the dropped catch here.
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Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Got an excess http:// in the first one.Yea, but found highlights of it on Youtube recently
Here it is.
And also found the dropped catch here.
Meaning it won't load without modification.
Burgey
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I like him too, but I think Gilly's experience standing up to Warne puts him in front. not saying Boucher couldn't do it, just that he hasn't really had to.
Like an argument between 2 bowlers or batters where one has a good record in one place where the other hasn't toured, or has a slightly less impressive record - rate the guy who's had to do the job and has done it well.