Greatest Wicket Keepers of the Game

[Sanz]

Got this idea from one of the comments posted in the Lillee Vs. Imran thread. The poster made a comment over Richie Benaud's selection of wicket keepers in his short list :-

"Not only that, all three wicketkeepers selected were Aussies, no Alan Knott,"

The three wicket keepers Richie Benaud picked in his short list were Rod Marsh, Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist. I don't see anything wrong with the choice because to me these are perhaps the strongest wicket keepers to play the game.

Who is the greatest wicket keeper of them all ?

 

[benchmark00]

Wicket keeper or wicket keeper/bat?

As in, are we judging them on keeping ability, or who we would pick if selecting a team?

 

[miscer]

for best batsman who put on gloves for a meaningful amount of time and performed while fulfilling those duties andy flower <3

overall probably gilchrist

pure wicketkeeping knott

 

[Burgey]

Godfrey Evans as apparently very good. Tallon as well was supposed to be great.

Thought Wasim Bari was a very good keeper, Kirmani too. Jack Russell in more modern times was excellent with the gloves.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Mike Garnham, clearly.

 

[NasserFan207]

Wicket keeper or wicket keeper/bat?

As in, are we judging them on keeping ability, or who we would pick if selecting a team?

Yeah, can't answer unless you clarify

 

[Ikki]

Can I ask another question? Which measures can we use to determine who was a great keeper? People are really heavily reliant on technique to describe keepers but like all things such aspects are a means to an end. I have wondered why catches or catches per matches isn't a very touted statistic. I know its limitations but it hardly gets mentioned for its positives.

 

[benchmark00]

Can I ask another question? Which measures can we use to determine who was a great keeper? People are really heavily reliant on technique to describe keepers but like all things such aspects are a means to an end. I have wondered why catches or catches per matches isn't a very touted statistic. I know its limitations but it hardly gets mentioned for its positives.

Because that measure is mostly relient on how good your bowlers are, an aspect that keepers can't control.

Would be like judging a batsman on how good they are by adding up the time their batting partner stays with them before getting out.

 

[Burgey]

Can I ask another question? Which measures can we use to determine who was a great keeper? People are really heavily reliant on technique to describe keepers but like all things such aspects are a means to an end. I have wondered why catches or catches per matches isn't a very touted statistic. I know its limitations but it hardly gets mentioned for its positives.

How about we leave stats out of this one mate?

Just sayin'

 

[Spikey]

Can I ask another question? Which measures can we use to determine who was a great keeper? People are really heavily reliant on technique to describe keepers but like all things such aspects are a means to an end. I have wondered why catches or catches per matches isn't a very touted statistic. I know its limitations but it hardly gets mentioned for its positives.

Records | Test matches | Wicketkeeping records | Most dismissals in career | ESPN Cricinfo

look at the guys with 100 dismissals, averaging more than 2 dismissals an innings....

 

[Athlai]

That Kamran Akmal is a quality glove man.

 

[Teja.]

Bert Oldfield, Wally Grout and Jack Blackham some unmentioned names certainly in the great keepers pantheon.

 

[smash84]

Can I ask another question? Which measures can we use to determine who was a great keeper? People are really heavily reliant on technique to describe keepers but like all things such aspects are a means to an end. I have wondered why catches or catches per matches isn't a very touted statistic. I know its limitations but it hardly gets mentioned for its positives.

Because that measure is mostly relient on how good your bowlers are, an aspect that keepers can't control.

Would be like judging a batsman on how good they are by adding up the time their batting partner stays with them before getting out.

This

That Kamran Akmal is a quality glove man.

and this too

 

[fredfertang]

Surprised Richie didn't mention Wally Grout

For me the answer is Alan Knott, closely followed by Farokh Engineer

 

[weldone]

From what I have heard and read, the names that should be mentioned here on wicketkeeping skills alone are Don Tallon, Alan Knott, Godfrey Evans, Farokh Engineer, Jack Blackham, Ian Healy and Wally Grout.

 

[Noble One]

Wicket keeper debates are one of the more enjoyable player v player comparisons. Removes all statistics from the debate and focuses purely on eye-witness accounts.

Jack Russell was the best I ever viewed.

 

[weldone]

Jack Russell was the best I ever viewed.

Jack Russell was undoubtedly good. But among those I've seen live, keeping all aspects of wicketkeeping and consistency behind the stumps in mind I'll keep Healy, Latif and Gilchrist ahead of him (only those 3).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Removes all statistics from the debate and focuses purely on eye-witness accounts.

Nah, I hear that Byes conceded per match is a really important stat to use in these circumstances.

 

[sunilreddy]

Nayan Mongia Standing up to Kumble

 

[weldone]

Nah, I hear that Byes conceded per match is a really important stat to use in these circumstances.

Not really. One should concede less byes while keeping to someone like Glenn McGrath than while keeping to someone like Shaun Tait.