Andy Flower as a wicket keeper ?

[Black_Warrior]

How was Andy Flower as a wicket keeper? I remember him as an awesome batsman..remember some great knocks against some of the best bowlers in difficult conditions..but I don't see him being talked about when people mention the greatest wicket keeper batsmen in the world.

People talk about Adam Gilchrist revolutionising the role of wicket keeper batsmen and he is an automatic selection for any World XI team..but Andy Flower in my view was a far better Test batsman and he came before Gilchrist. Hence, the only conclusion I can draw is that his keeping was not up to that level. So is that true? Was he not a specialist keeper?

 

[Arachnodouche]

He was a solid keeper, much in the Dave Richardson vein. Used to go unnoticed which can only be a good thing in a wicket keeper.

 

[Prince EWS]

How was Andy Flower as a wicket keeper? I remember him as an awesome batsman..remember some great knocks against some of the best bowlers in difficult conditions..but I don't see him being talked about when people mention the greatest wicket keeper batsmen in the world.

People talk about Adam Gilchrist revolutionising the role of wicket keeper batsmen and he is an automatic selection for any World XI team..but Andy Flower in my view was a far better Test batsman and he came before Gilchrist. Hence, the only conclusion I can draw is that his keeping was not up to that level. So is that true? Was he not a specialist keeper?

Yep; pretty much. I too think Flower was a better bat than Gilchrist but he was not a good wicket keeper; he did it for team balance reasons.

 

[Noble One]

Capable with the gloves, however he was not a natural. He would be exposed further if he kept for a major cricketing nation. Zimbabwe had a handy attack during his time, however the fastest bowler he kept to was Heath Streak and the best spinner was Paul Strang.

 

[kyear2]

Of all of the batsmen wicket keepers, Allan Knott, Adam Gilchrist, Alec Stewart, Jeffrey Dujon, Kumar Sangakkara, Les Ames, Clyde Walcott ect., Flower was one of the better batsmen, but considerably the worst pure wicket keeper, so that really hurts his over all rating.

 

[smash84]

Ann-deflower

 

[Howe_zat]

By all accounts a stopper rather than a keeper - Zimbabwe simply couldn't afford space for a specialist keeper in their side. The fact that this extra responsibility he volunteered for, combined with undertaking captaincy at the same time, produced one of the best runs of batting form ever just goes to show what a hero the bloke was.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Don't remember him ever dropping any particularly huge bollocks, I have to say. Cut above the Dhonis and Haddins of the world, in my estimation.

Disagree he was a better bat than Gilly tho. Different kind of bat and, good as he was, you never quite got the idea he could take the game away from you like Gilchirst's flashing blade did.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Don't remember him ever dropping any particularly huge bollocks, I have to say. Cut above the Dhonis and Haddins of the world, in my estimation.

Disagree he was a better bat than Gilly tho. Different kind of bat and, good as he was, you never quite got the idea he could take the game away from you like Gilchirst's flashing blade did.

You are right, they were different kinds of players and hard to compare as batsmen but the reason I placed him over Gilchrist was that I saw him batting at 3-4 and doing the bulk of Zimbabwe's batting, often facing a deficit of 500 runs or a follow on, and taking the entire batting on his shoulders and scoring big knocks against quality oppositions.
Yes Gilchist is a more dominating player but I don't see Gilchrist doing that consistently at the test level..at the same time I don't see Flower doing a 60 ball 100 either..

 

[Migara]

Capable with the gloves, however he was not a natural. He would be exposed further if he kept for a major cricketing nation. Zimbabwe had a handy attack during his time, however the fastest bowler he kept to was Heath Streak and the best spinner was Paul Strang.

Massive disagree. Henry Olonga, Eddo Brandes, Neil Johonson and another bloke (who was an all rounder whom i could not remember the name) were quicker than Streak. And most of them were erratic too. It's massively easy to keep a Steyn than a Fernando even the former is bit more pacy.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Massive disagree. Henry Olonga, Eddo Brandes, Neil Johonson and another bloke (who was an all rounder whom i could not remember the name) were quicker than Streak. And most of them were erratic too. It's massively easy to keep a Steyn than a Fernando even the former is bit more pacy.

Andy Blignaut?

 

[MrPrez]

Massive disagree. Henry Olonga, Eddo Brandes, Neil Johonson and another bloke (who was an all rounder whom i could not remember the name) were quicker than Streak. And most of them were erratic too. It's massively easy to keep a Steyn than a Fernando even the former is bit more pacy.

Wasn't Johno medium-pace at best? That's what I thought although I never got to watch him.

Wish I'd got to watch more of Gilly's batsman tbh - The guy became a hero for me with his batting style after watching him, but retired pretty much immediately.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Wish I'd got to watch more of Gilly's batsman tbh - The guy became a hero for me with his batting style after watching him, but retired pretty much immediately.

Wow...you know you're getting old when you hear things like that. I saw Gilchrist start his test career in 99.

 

[MrPrez]

99? Was that really the year?

I'm 16, so don't feel too bad

 

[Jono]

Disagree he was a better bat than Gilly tho. Different kind of bat and, good as he was, you never quite got the idea he could take the game away from you like Gilchirst's flashing blade did.

There are not many batsmen, let alone keeper-batsmen, that can take the game away from you like Gilly's flashing blade could though.

 

[Spark]

You are right, they were different kinds of players and hard to compare as batsmen but the reason I placed him over Gilchrist was that I saw him batting at 3-4 and doing the bulk of Zimbabwe's batting, often facing a deficit of 500 runs or a follow on, and taking the entire batting on his shoulders and scoring big knocks against quality oppositions.
Yes Gilchist is a more dominating player but I don't see Gilchrist doing that consistently at the test level..at the same time I don't see Flower doing a 60 ball 100 either..

Not that this particularly matters but I reckon that had Gilchrist not been keeping, he would have been a shoe-in for a top four spot in the Aus order.

 

[Straight Drive]

Flower >>>> Dhoni in all three aspects.

 

[Migara]

Andy Blignaut?

Yep

 

[Migara]

Wasn't Johno medium-pace at best? That's what I thought although I never got to watch him.

Wish I'd got to watch more of Gilly's batsman tbh - The guy became a hero for me with his batting style after watching him, but retired pretty much immediately.

We had only a very little time of this promising all rouner. Was quite nippy TBH, and hurried batsmen more than Streak. I could remeber the snorter he bowled at Kirsten in WC 99 to snap him up at back ward point. Was pretty quick by '99.

 

[ganeshran]

Brilliant player of Spin.