Knotty

[fredfertang]

Knotty

The game moves on, and wicketkeepers come and go. Alan Knott last played for England more than thirty years ago but, for Martin, he is still the best there has been.

 

[Hurricane]

My friend's dad reckoned he clean bowled him in an exhibition game. Did an Ashley giles ball of the century style delivery to him.

I actually refused to believe the story when told to me over a few beers - so the fellow rummaged through his scrap book and produced a newspaper clipping with the score card.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

When I started watching cricket Knott was the England keeper, and then Taylor. For years I expected every catch and stumping to be taken and every throw to be handled smoothly. A bye was a shock.

It was only when I saw other keepers, for England and other Countries, that I realised these 2 were the very zenith of the craft (I found similar with regard to heavyweight boxing). Older people (some much, much older) that I watched with confirmed that there were none better in their memory.

They were both sublime in ther work, I always feel that Taylor had a very, very slight edge as a keeper but Knott was, of course, a far better batsman.

Knott would be my chioce of keeper for an all time World XI

 

[Hurricane]

Knott would be my chioce of keeper for an all time World XI

He is my choice ahead of Gilchrist as well.

 

[TNT]

I remember watching Knott and he was a good keeper, but its amazing how the players I watched in the 70's and 80's have improved over time.

 

[benchmark00]

re: Knott being best of all time.

Nope.

 

[TNT]

For years I expected every catch and stumping to be taken and every throw to be handled smoothly. A bye was a shock.

In this match you would have been shocked 6 times in the first innings and shocked 17 times in the second innings.

3rd Test: England v Pakistan at Leeds, Jul 8-13, 1971 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[TNT]

Interesting when you look at the statistics of keepers.

Name.......... tests...... Ct... St..... Dismissals.... ave dismissals/Test
M Boucher.... 139...... 499... 22........ 521.................. 3.75
A Gilchrist...... 96...... 379... 37........ 416.................. 4.33
I Healy .........119....... 366... 29....... 395................... 3.32
R Marsh......... 96....... 343.. 12........ 355.................. 3.70
A Knott.......... 95....... 250... 19....... 269................... 2.83

 

[benchmark00]

Dismissals/test isn't a very useful statistic, doesn't really say much other than how good the attack is.

 

[Hurricane]

Dismissals/test isn't a very useful statistic, doesn't really say much other than how good the attack is.

Indeed.

Byes per inning may be the best stat I can think of if you can rustle it up.

Even then if you have more crappy bowlers bowling to you like Mitchell Johnson on a bad day then you will probably have bad stats.

 

[Prince EWS]

Indeed.

Byes per inning may be the best stat I can think of if you can rustle it up.

Even then if you have more crappy bowlers bowling to you like Mitchell Johnson on a bad day then you will probably have bad stats.

You'd tend to concede more byes if you attack took 150 overs to take ten wickets than if they took 50 overs as well. In terms of currently available statistics I think you'd have to go by something like byes per 100 overs, but even that is very flawed for the reason you just gave. Short of someone keeping track of dropped catches and missed stumpings so we could work out percentages, wicket keeping in one area of the game we really have to just rely on our eye for.

 

[Hurricane]

HowSTAT! Wicketkeeper Not Conceding a Bye

This page is a hall of fame for keepers for letting in no byes in an innings with 500 runs scored. Some bangers keeper is on it 4 times. After him Knott and several others appear 3 times.

 

[Hurricane]

Pappus' plane - cricket stats: Wicket-keepers and byes

 

[fredfertang]

Nope.

Dismissals/test isn't a very useful statistic, doesn't really say much other than how good the attack is.

Benchy makes not one but two posts in a thread about one of my features that doesn't involve a reference to my matrimonial history.

Is the world's natural order changing?

I think i'd best go lie down and take a rest ......................

 

[Biryani Pillow]

I remember watching Knott and he was a good keeper, but its amazing how the players I watched in the 70's and 80's have improved over time.

Actually I would say there are quite a few players that I don't consider nearly as good now as I did in the 70s.

Keith Fletcher, Denis Amiss and Rod Marsh to name just three.

 

[Hurricane]

Actually I would say there are quite a few players that I don't consider nearly as good now as I in the 70s.

Keith Fletcher, Denis Amiss and Rod Marsh to name just three.

You are missing a word in your first sentence and I would like to know what you have to say.

 

[Howe_zat]

Short of someone keeping track of dropped catches and missed stumpings so we could work out percentages

Even then it wouldn't be a proper stat as the "scorer" would have to use his own judgement on what counts as a chance.

 

[Prince EWS]

Even then it wouldn't be a proper stat as the "scorer" would have to use his own judgement on what counts as a chance.

Yeah, I'd still be willing to roll with it though, to some degree. It'd be flawed but it'd be worth something.