Tribute to Jack

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

One of the finest wicketkeepers the game has known.

Jack Russell

Jack Russell forced to retire

 

[Sudeep]

One of the finest wicketkeepers the game has known.

Without doubt.

One of the finest wicket-keeping brains to have taken the cricket field.

 

[Langeveldt]

Top bloke..

A Character through and through, great sportsman. (and an athlete when you think about it)... Will be sorely missed down here...

Probably the best gloveman I have seen

 

[Piper]

Yeah he will be missed! I would have liked it if he went out at his own will, but being forced out because of a back injury is not he retirement reason he would have wanted. At 40 years old though he did well, i hope he will still have something to do in cricket.

 

[Neil Pickup]

He's got all his life to devote to painting now, I suppose.

Respect.

 

[The Argonaut]

It always amazed me that Stewart was preferred to him to play the extra bowler. Stewart's average dropped off and England lost a top quality keeper that would have saved them runs to chase by taking a catch that Stewart couldn't have, eg. maybe getting a guy out for 40 with a brilliant catch rather than watching him go on to make a century.

Always a pleasure to watch.

 

[tooextracool]

It always amazed me that Stewart was preferred to him to play the extra bowler. Stewart's average dropped off and England lost a top quality keeper that would have saved them runs to chase by taking a catch that Stewart couldn't have, eg. maybe getting a guy out for 40 with a brilliant catch rather than watching him go on to make a century.

its still happening isnt it?......jones over read

 

[Langeveldt]

And it happens for valid reasons Im afraid...

Disappointed that such a legends tribute thread has only managed a few posts

 

[a massive zebra]

It is rather unfortunate that the career of the greatest Gloucestershire wicket-keeper of them all had to end in such a way. He was one of the great characters of cricket, aside from being England's best keeper since Knott and an accomplished if slow batsman. He certainly deserved the luxury of going when he saw fit, rather than having retirement thrust upon him injury.

Who will fill his boots as the Gloucestershire stumper? There is one hopeful cricketer (SJ Adshead), one not so hopeful (SP Pope), and one who cannot play at all (SD Snell). Neither can adequately replace the legend.

 

[Langeveldt]

Adshead me thinks...

he deserves a decent run, he looked good but never got the oppertunity he deserves, for obvious reasons...

 

[PY]

Jack Russell = legend and a true ambassador for the game.

I also hope that every now and then, he does a little punditry because when he did the 'Wicketkeeping Masterclass', he seemed to have many an idea and he's got the experience of all levels of the game.

 

[DJellett]

Who will forget "That Hat"?

 

[blackcapsrule]

Who will forget "That Hat"?

Taken from Scribes song Not Many

"Not Meneeee, If Anyeee"

 

[Mr. P]

he really was a great player.

hope he does well with whatever he does in the rest of his life.

 

[blackcapsrule]

What was said about painting??

 

[Neil Pickup]

What was said about painting??

He's a damn good painter, and his works sell for around £20,000 a time.

 

[marc71178]

its still happening isnt it?......jones over read

Except Read's average is nowhere near 30 to be fair.

 

[DJellett]

LOL I hate that song...it's sooooo anoying!

 

[Richard]

Always a great shame when anyone is forced out of their profession by injury.
Robert Charles Russell was a credit to the game, one of the greatest wicketkeeping geniuses there has ever been surely, and often underrated for his batting. Not in the Stewart class and I'll always maintain that to pick Stewart ahead of him was the right choice, but nothing detracted from his ability.
He will be sorely missed. And with Mike Smith going at the end of this season too Bristol won't be the same again.

 

[Craig]

He's a damn good painter, and his works sell for around £20,000 a time.

Not bad at all.

Fine keeper, who will replace Russell at Gloucestershire?