5 players you did not know kept wickets

Bill Athey

If you consider yourself a cricket historian, you probably already know about the Test match remembered for not one but four wicketkeepers. This one of its kind incident dates back to 1986, when England wicketkeeper Bruce French was critically injured on the field and needed quick medical attention.

As a replacement, batsman Bill Athey wore the wicketkeeper’s pads for the first time in his career. He successfully kept for two overs. England then decided to allow 2 overs each to another 2 players – Bob Taylor and Bobby Parks, both of whom had experience of being behind the stumps. Bruce French returned to keep for the last over.

Sometimes nature’s call, and other times critical injuries, the men behind the stumps have had their share of miseries which gave the game substitute keepers.