As far as cricketing skills are concerned, wicket-keeping is one of the toughest art to master. But over the years we have witnessed some exceptional wicket-keepers who have done a terrific job behind the stumps for their respective countries.
Over the years Australia has produced some quality wicketkeepers and 3 of them feature in Top 4 list of most dismissals by a wicket Keeper in Test cricket. Not only they have produced quality wicket keepers they have been a top class team over the years and we have witnessed them excelling in each and every department be it batting, bowling or fielding. They were the most dominant side in the world from the late 1990s and their wicketkeepers had a major impact on their success. Their performances have dipped only in the last few years.
Here we bring you five wicket-keepers from Australia who has been an integral part of their team during their playing days and have won laurels for the country,
#-5 Jack Blackham
Known as the “Prince of Wicket keepers” Jack Blackham was the first ever wicket keeper to play for Australia. He was a member of the Australian side that played the first ever Test match against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the year 1877 and was also a part of the infamous Ashes Test in the year 1882 . He was a master behind the wicket and revolutionised the art of wicket Keeping.
At the age of 16, he was included in the playing XI for the Carlton Cricket Club and first appeared for the Victorian team in the year 1874. For the next 20 years, he excelled in his art and was the 1st choice wicketkeeper for Victoria.
He was one of the first wicket keepers to stand up to the stumps even to Fast bowlers even when the quality of the gloves in those days were pretty poor comparing with the modern ones. Jack Pollard described the gloves as “little more than gardening gloves”.
He has a total of 37 catches and 24 stumpings in the 35 Tests he played for Australia.
#-4 Rodney Marsh
Rodney Marsh made his Test debut for Australia in the year 1970 and had a horrendous outing in his first Test. Selected because of his abilities to contribute with the bat, Marsh was sloppy behind the wickets that urged the media to say he was probably wearing “Iron Gloves”. He improved drastically in the following years and started becoming a master at his art. By the time he called it a day he was regarded as one of best ever wicketkeepers to have graced the game.
His ability with that bat proved vital for Australia as he became the first ever Australian wicket-keeper to hit a Test century against Pakistan at Adelaide in 1972-73. Marsh was an integral part in the series victory over England and West Indies in 1974-75 and 1975-76 respectively. He was vigorously active behind the stumps and took some brilliant catches of the bowling of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. He had a total of 45 dismissals in those two series.
He played his last Test for Australia against Pakistan in 1984 and his last ODI against West indies in the same year. By the time he retired he had a total of 343 catches and 12 stumpings in 96 Tests and 120 catches and 4 stumpings in 92 ODIs.
#-3 Ian Healy
Ian Healy made his Test debut after playing only 6 First class matches in the year 1988. Australia was performing poorly during that period and Healy’s entry provided a much-needed stability. He was a useful batsman in the lower middle-order, contribution to the team’s total regularly. In ODIs he acted the role of a pinch hitter when quick runs were required and finished his career with a strike rate of over 83.
Given his little experience in the domestic circuit, Healy’s selection in the Australian side came as a major surprise. The wicket keeping position became a problem for the Australian side since the retirement of Healy’s childhood idol Rod Marsh and selector Greg Chappel thought he could provide the much needed lower order stability and the determined approach which the Australian team was lacking during that time.
Healy broke the world record for most dismissals by a wicket keeper (355) when he caught Wasim Akram of Colin Miller in the opening Test against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in 1988. Healy finished his career with a tally of 395 dismissals to his name including 366 catches and 29 stumpings in 119 Tests and 233 dismissals including 194 catches and 39 stumpings in 168 ODIs.
#-2 Brad Haddin
Remaining in the shadow of Adam Gilchrist for a major part of his career Brad Haddin finally made his Test debut for Australia against West Indies in the year 2008. He was already a proven customer in the domestic circuit and was the automatic choice in the XI after the retirement of Gilchrist.
The void left by Adam Gilchrist was very difficult to fill but he proved to be a good replacement but it was not possible for him to match the destructive batting by the former. He was an excellent wicket keeper and took many acrobatic catches during his 7 years career. Though he made his ODI debut way back in 2001, he became a regular only after the retirement of Gilchrist. He was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings in the 2010 IPL auction.
In a tri-series match against West Indies at Kuala Lumpur, he notched up a 165 run partnership with Mike Hussey which was then the highest partnership for the 6th wicket in ODIs.
Before calling it quits, he had a tally of 270 dismissals from 66 Test including 262 catches and 8 stumpings and 181 dismissals from 126 ODIs including 170 catches and 11 stumpings.
#-1 Adam Gilchrist
Arguably the greatest ever wicket keeper batsman to play the game, Adam Gilchrist made his Test debut for Australia against Pakistan in the year 1999. Though he made his ODI debut in 1996 he would cement his place in the Test side only after a string of poor performances by Ian Healy.
Gilchrist changed the concept of wicket keeper batsman and his destructive approach was a nightmare for the bowlers all around the world. Along with Mathew Hayden, they proved to be one of the best opening pairs in ODIs.
In only his 2nd Test he scored a match-winning century and stitched together a record 238 run partnership with his Western Australian teammate Justin Langer for the 6th wicket against Pakistan. It was a dramatic comeback by the Aussies in a match they were done and dusted.
In the 3rd Test against New Zealand in 2000, Gilchrist recorded the most dismissals by an Australian wicket-keeper in Tests taking 10 catches.
Coming into the 2007 World Cup final with a string of poor performances behind him, Gilchrist scored a terrific 149 against the Sri Lankans playing with a squash ball inside his left glove. It was an innovative measure taken by the great wicket keeper batsman.
He was also known for playing the game at the best of spirits. He would hardly wait for the umpire’s decision if he knew he was out and even in the World Cup semi final in 2003 he walked even when the umpire Rudi Koertzen declared him not out. He played his last Test and ODI against India in the year 2008. Gilchrist played for Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL captaining Deccan Chargers to glory in the 2nd edition in 2009.
Gilchrist finished with a total of 416 Test dismissals including 379 catches and 37 stumpings in 96 matches and 472 dismissals including 417 catches and 52 stumpings in 287 ODIs.
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