Darren Berry

[llosis]

Does anyone here actually think Gilchrist's keeping abilities are less than first rate. Everyone's talking about how good Berry is but is Gilly that far off? I don't think so. By world cricketing standards Gilly is very safe with the gloves as far as I can see.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by llosis
Does anyone here actually think Gilchrist's keeping abilities are less than first rate. Everyone's talking about how good Berry is but is Gilly that far off? I don't think so. By world cricketing standards Gilly is very safe with the gloves as far as I can see.

Gilchrist's keeping is quite good, but not up to the standard set by Berry (not now, in the past).

The keepers of today are horrible (Gilchrist aside), not one of them are fit to carry Chuck's jockstrap.

Having said that, Berry is deteriorating fast.

 

[Blue Boyz]

Originally posted by llosis
Does anyone here actually think Gilchrist's keeping abilities are less than first rate. Everyone's talking about how good Berry is but is Gilly that far off? I don't think so. By world cricketing standards Gilly is very safe with the gloves as far as I can see.

IIosis,

Gilly's keeping has improved but he still misses too much for mine and is prone to the odd game where he puts in a complete shocker. This year's
Sydney Test V. England was a prime e.g. where he missed two if not three
regulation chances that a club keeper would swallow with his eyes shut.

As a keeper of some years I have a theory that he lacks confidence in himself with the gloves (certainly not with bat) and that if he misses one chance early, he tends drop his bundle (no pun intended) and is likely to drop more chances.

What do you pundits out there think of that idea??

Since Gilly's selection I have been happy for the Aust. selectors to perserve with his keeping hoping that he may improve dramatically like Healey did after his first few tests where dropped heaps of chances. However I am not too sure if he ever will reach the lofty standards set by Marsh, Healey and Grout.

Saying this I don't the selectors are going to do any radical and give Gilly the bullet as keeper, and this now this looks even unlikely as Pointing firms as favourite as the next Test captain. If Gilchrist was appointed skipper I am certain that the selectors would have a very hard think about relieving him of the gloves as the work load of being capt., keeper, batting No. 7 in the tests and opening in the ODI's would make him a prime candidate for burn out.

I have to agree with Phatandphreaky that most of today's international and first class keepers are not of a high standard. Maybe this is a consequence of
trying to look for players who bat first and keep second.

 

[llosis]

Originally posted by Blue Boyz
I have to agree with Phatandphreaky that most of today's international and first class keepers are not of a high standard. Maybe this is a consequence of
trying to look for players who bat first and keep second.

I think you are dead right there. Gilly has raised the bar for keepers world wide and so the other country's are needing to catch up. The only problem with going the keeper/ batsman route is that the bloke you pick will need to have bucket loads of talent, because at the end of the day that is what sets Gilly apart. Try as they might the McCullum's, Sangakarra's/ Kaluwitharana's, etc will never be as successful in the role as Gilchrist.

I think Gilly has improved his keeping since he's been in the Australian team. He's always been good to the quicks and has taken some screamers when required. I think though agaisnt the spinners he's improved considerably in the last few years. He's not Healy, but I can't think of too many FC glovemen in Australia who are clearly better than him in this area.

 

[My North]

Keep Berry in the Vic Side.