Wicket Keepers

[Swervy]

they do when you have bowlers who are particularly good at finding the edge.....judging a wicketkeeper is purely down to opinion really

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

I've got all the career dismissals (and their average dismissals per match) of the keepers listed in the poll.

ODI's
Adam Gilchrist: 310 dismissals@ 1.67 per match
Mark Boucher: 253 dismissals@ 1.51 per match
Moin Khan: 264 dismissals@ 1.32 per match
Rashid Latif: 220 dismissals@ 1.32 per match
Tatenda Taibu: 47 dismissals@ 0.92 per match
Parthiv Patel: 13 dismissals@ 1.08 per match
Khaled Mashud: 61 dismissals@ 0.88 per match
Brendon McCullum: 59 dismissals@ 1.34 per match
Robbie Hart: 1 dismissal@ 0.50 per match
Ridley Jacobs: 172 dismissals@ 1.29 per match
Romesh Kaluwithurana: 206 dismissals@ 1.10 per match
Kumara Sangakarra: 96 dismissals@ 1.00 per match
Chris Read: 34 dismissals@ 1.47 per match

Tests
Adam Gilchrist: 214 dismissals@ 4.19 per match
Mark Boucher: 274 dismissals@ 3.85 per match
Moin Khan: 144 dismissals@ 2.14 per match
Rashid Latif: 130 dismissals@ 3.51 per match
Tatenda Taibu: 21 dismissals@ 1.75 per match
Parthiv Patel: 28 dismissals@ 2.15 per match
Khaled Mashud: 40 dismissals@ 1.73 per match
Brendon McCullum: -
Robbie Hart: 30 dismissals@ 2.72 per match
Ridley Jacobs: 192 dismissals@ 3.36 per match
Romesh Kaluwithurana: 104 dismissals@ 2.36 per match
Kumara Sangakarra: 98 dismissals@ 2.96 per match
Chris Read: 28 dismissals@ 3.50 per match

 

[Neil Pickup]

How can you ignore the number of dismissals by a keeper in determing their ability :O

Like I said earlier, numbers don't lie.

The number of dismissals is pretty much dominated by the quality of the bowling options available to him.

If Australia's bowling attack consisted of five clones of me, he wouldn't have any catches, but that wouldn't make him a bad keeper, and if Langer/Maher kept for the Aussies, he'd have a lot of catches, but that wouldn't automatically make him a bad keeper.

What I'd like to see is the % of catches taken by a keeper - however that's not a commonly available statistic.

All those stats show is that Pakistani and Aussie seamers (and less so West Indians - I'm sure Ridley's was higher before Curtley and Courtney quit) are particular adept at finding thin edges through to the keeper. Nothing more.

Taibu - IMO the best in the world - has a statistic that's only surpassed by Khaled Mashud in its low-ness (sic).

 

[Richard]

No common-use statistic can say anything about a wicketkeeper. Number of dismissals is to do with the bowlers and pitches, not the wicketkeepers. Byes are equally unreliable, because about half of byes let through are untakeable.
Catches:misses is something of an indicator (and not easy to produce) but even then it doesn't show anything about taking stuff from the outfield, dropping simple takes, etc.
The only way to judge a wicketkeeper is to watch him. And watch nothing else, because there are many more interesting things in cricket and if you take your mind onto them you'll invariably make a less accurate assessment of the quality of the wicketkeeping.
And regarding Gilchrist - as david and Neil have said, he's a very good wicketkeeper, and much better than he used to be.
Still, there are plenty better.

 

[Prince EWS]

I cant believe anyone would judge a keeper on number of dismissals (average or aggregate). Its rediculous. Just look at taibu and Mashud. they are both fien keppers (especially Taibu), and have low dismissal rates. Its not a co-incudenece that they happen to play for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe!

And whoever voted for McCullum, it is a joke, right? Ide rather have Jimmy Maher, and I am completely honestly saying that.

Anyway for my vote, it was a toss between Boucher and Taibu. They are both very good keepers, but I think Boucher just edges out Taibu, as he Taibu seems to want to do stumpings too quickly, and often drops the ball. But his hand action is much faster than Bouchers.....

Anyway, I voted for Boucher.

 

[Armadillo]

I'm quite surprised that lots of people have mentioned Taibu as the only time I saw him was playing against England and he was playing awfully. People were even e-mailing in to comment on his wicket-keeping. When was this sudden chainge in heart about his performances.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm quite surprised that lots of people have mentioned Taibu as the only time I saw him was playing against England and he was playing awfully. People were even e-mailing in to comment on his wicket-keeping. When was this sudden chainge in heart about his performances.

The key to that comment is that you saw him once. He's a very good 'keeper and everyone is entitled to have a bad match or two.

 

[Richard]

And name me a wicketkeeper who hasn't struggled on his first tour to England recently?
Boucher was still not perfect in 2003, either.
Ratra had a nightmare in 2002. Patel was OK on occasions, but far from perfect.
Gilchrist struggled at the outset in 2001, naturally because he's an Aussie that changed quicker than most.
Jacobs, as I'm sure Liam will remember, had a 2000 to forget.
Parore wasn't too bad in 1999, Kiwi conditions being similar to English clearly helped, but even then he wasn't as good as I've seen him in Kiwiland.
Boucher in 1998 had yet another nightmare, the low point being that drop off Hussain at Trent Bridge. Poor old Donald.
Can't remember Healey in 1997, sure someone will.
Nor can I even remember if I'm right in thinking it was Latif and Mongia in 1996.

 

[Swervy]

Healey was a gem in97 from what i can remember

 

[Armadillo]

Well I have to hand it to you Richard you're....well....right

 

[Langeveldt]

and if Langer/Maher kept for the Aussies, he'd have a lot of catches, but that wouldn't automatically make him a bad keeper.

Correction....

THEY would have a lot of catches, but that wouldnt automatically make THEM GOOD keepers

 

[Pratters]

No one is good as Boucher IMO. Gilly is good too but I would rate Boucher above the rest.. top quality stuff..

 

[Swervy]

Boucher had a shocking World Cup though from what i remember

 

[Richard]

As I say, Boucher has struggled pretty much every time he's been to England.
Anywhere else, he's been fantastic throughout his career, even if he has slightly underachieved with the bat thus far. Still plenty of time left, though.

 

[Craig]

To be fair to him, he did get some bad balls from wayward bowling he wasnt able to stop and plus he was often wrong footed from some late swing in the air from Ntini.

 

[Richard]

That's the biggest problem wicketkeepers have in England. The ball swinging after passing the bat. It doesn't really seem to happen anywhere else.

 

[Jamee999]

I'm quite surprised that lots of people have mentioned Taibu as the only time I saw him was playing against England and he was playing awfully. People were even e-mailing in to comment on his wicket-keeping. When was this sudden chainge in heart about his performances.

He's developed.

When SRT was 1 year old people would not have called him a superstar.

OFF TOPIC[/COLOR][/COLOR]

Armadilllo how did you pick your user name.

 

[Armadillo]

As my name is Adil, some of my old friends used to call me Armadillo, don't ask me why.

 

[Tom Halsey]

As my name is Adil, some of my old friends used to call me Armadillo, don't ask me why.

God you had weird friends at your old school.

 

[Armadillo]

God you had weird friends at your old school.

You can't talk your friends used to call you horsey