Quality keepers - dormant and about to go extinct?
November 1, 2005Neil Pickup, one of the young cricket writers I like reading wrote this fine piece.
This is highly concerning indeed. Adam Gilchrist replacing Ian Healy will be looked at as a landmark selection move. A move which looked cold hearted as it denied Healy a record but Gilchrist proved his value in no time in the longer version. Players have played that role before too but that move was specially on the face as Healy is one of the finer keepers of the generation.
There was an article in Wisden years back worrying about the dilemna of a specialist keeper or a good keeper who can bat.
Where will the great keepers come?
How did Shane Warne come about when no one expected some one like him to turn up?
In test matches, the keeper can find a place if he can bat a bit. He does not have to be a great batsman. In one day cricket the role of the keeper is becoming more and redundant. This aspect is visible in test cricket as well but to a lower degree.
A keeper to inspire people to take up keeping seriously is tough to come by though if we look at it mechanically. But cricket has shown the greats prop up without much mechanism. Shane Warne as mentioned, Wasim Akram and the ilk.
We can only hope.
Indeed true. You can say the same thing about quality spinners in ODIs. Shane Warne has left ODIs. Aus has to do with Brad Hogg - again very much utility than quality - Kumble has been forced out and Murali will also quit soon - after the WC I think - I wouldnt be surprised if World Cricket is soon populated by spinenrs of the quality if Hogg, Giles, Shoaib Malik, Dilshan and Nicky Boje. Pretty sad.
Comment by Gaurav — November 1, 2005 @ 12:44 pm