A Hard Day’s Night(watchman) – Australian tailenders who’ve batted up the order

For confirmation that cricket is a batsman’s game, one need look no further than the existence of the nightwatchman.

It’s always a tailender who is tasked with the responsibility, at the end of a long day in the field, to protect his side’s specialist batsmen. After those batsmen have spent most of the day at slip or mid-off, offering unqualified advice and dropping the odd catch, while the tailender has toiled behind the stumps or with the ball. It goes without saying that captains are invariably batsmen.

In recognition of Australian nightwatchmen’s contributions over the past 150 years, here are some of their finest moments.

1. Bill O’Reilly and 2. Chuck Fleetwood-Smith (MCG, 1936/37)

If you think that Australia’s current top-order is the worst to have ever faced a new ball, then think again. This pair, and the batsman that followed them, have them covered.

It was Don Bradman’s first series as captain, and England was leading it by a 2-0 margin. After his side limped to 6/180 on a docile pitch, Bradman declared at 9/200 when rain and then sun turned it into a minefield.

Only after the visitors had reached 9/76, still 124 runs in arrears, did skipper Gubby Allen realise that Australia was actually prolonging England’s innings to ensure that the hosts would not bat again that day. His late declaration left the home side just a few overs to survive.

Fleetwood-Smith, who had never before batted higher than eleven, was aghast at his promotion. “Why me?” he asked upon receiving the news. “Well, the point is this,” reasoned Bradman. “You can’t get out unless you hit the ball. Now you can’t hit the ball on a good wicket, so you’ve got no chance of hitting it out there.”

O’Reilly fell to the first ball that he received, while Fleetwood-Smith and fellow tailender Frank Ward somehow survived until stumps were drawn with Australia’s score 1/3. When the match resumed two days later, Fleetwood-Smith was also dismissed for 0. Jack Fingleton (136), Bradman (270) and Stan McCabe, having been held back in the order, duly improved their side’s total from 5/97 to 564 on a now-placid pitch. England replied with 323 to lose the match by 365 runs, and eventually the series by a 3-2 margin.

3. Jason Gillespie (Chennai, 2004/05 and Chittagong, 2005/2006)

‘Dizzy’ is arguably Australia’s greatest-ever nightwatchman. In a 71-Test career, the popular paceman was promoted in the order nine times, and batted until stumps on every occasion- for seven wins, a draw, and a one-wicket loss.

In Chennai, he lasted for 165 balls and 242 minutes while scoring just 26 runs, and shared a 139-run partnership with Damien Martyn. He had commenced his innings at 4/150 late on the match’s third day, batting ahead of Michael Clarke and Darren Lehmann. Australia was able to save the game, and ultimately record a historic 2-1 series win.

Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath. One of these could be trusted as a nightwatchman. The other, not so much. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

In Chittagong, Australia restricted Bangladesh to 197, and commenced its own innings shortly after tea on the match’s first day. When Matthew Hayden fell in the last half-hour of play, Gillespie replaced him and was unbeaten on 5 when stumps were drawn with the visitors 1/76. On a rain-affected second day, he advanced his score to 28 in a total of 2/151. He was still at the crease at the conclusion of the match’s third day, his score 102 not out in a total of 3/364.

Ponting eventually declared his side’s innings at 4/581. Gillespie was undefeated on 201, from a marathon 425 deliveries in 574 minutes. His innings included 2 sixes and 26 fours. The home side managed 304 in its second innings, leaving Australia victorious by an innings and 80 runs. The Test would prove to be Gillespie’s last, and he was awarded both player-of-the-match and player-of-the-series.

4. Tony Mann (WACA, 1977/78

‘Rocket’ debuted for Western Australia in 1963/64, then waited 14 years to gain four Australian caps during the World Series Cricket era. He batted at number seven or eight in all but one of his innings.

In Perth, India scored 402 and the home side replied with 394. The visitors then declared at 9/300 during the fourth day’s last session, setting Australia a victory target of 339. The early loss of debutant John Dyson saw Mann elevated to number three, and when stumps were drawn, he was 6 not out in a total of 1/25.

The following day, Mann (105 from 165 deliveries) dominated a 139-run partnership with David Ogilvie. His century was only the second ever scored by a nightwatchman. The hosts ultimately overhauled their challenging target with just two wickets in hand, to take a 2-0 series lead.

5. Peter Taylor (Wellington, 1989/90)

Off-spinning all-rounder ‘Peter Who’ generally batted at number eight. However he also played four innings in the top-six, opening on one occasion.

In Wellington, the visitors managed just 110 in their first innings, and New Zealand’s reply of 202 ended late on the match’s third day. After the loss of Mark Taylor and David Boon reduced Australia to 2/54 in its second innings, Peter Taylor was elevated in the order and ended the day unbeaten on 1 in a team total of 2/57.

The following day, he top-scored with 87, in the process sharing a 103-run partnership with Allan Border. While the visitors were able to reach 269 and entertain a faint hope of victory, New Zealand would lose just one wicket in reaching its 178-run target.

6. Ian Healy (SCG, 1990/91 and WACA, 1997/98)

Healy batted in Australia’s top-six 16 times during a 119-Test career, averaging 32.00 and scoring two half-centuries.

At the SCG, after the home side totalled 518, England skipper Graham Gooch closed his side’s reply at 8/469 late on the match’s fourth day. His reward was two quick Australian wickets, which prompted Healy’s early arrival at the crease. Stumps were drawn at 2/38, with Healy undefeated on 9. The following day he top-scored with 69 in a total of 205, as no other batsman managed 30. The visitors ended the match on 4/113, with insufficient time to overhaul Australia’s 254-run lead.

At the WACA, Australia made light work of its pursuit of New Zealand’s 217, being 3/224 in reply at one point. On Mark Waugh’s dismissal shortly before the match’s second day ended, it was Healy rather than Ricky Ponting who came to the crease at number six. Healy went to stumps on 3 not out, and his side 4/235. The following day he took his score to 85. Australia totalled 461, and dismissed the visitors again for 174 to win by an innings and 70 runs.

7. Doug Ring (Adelaide Oval, 1951/52)

In an eventful first day’s play in Adelaide, Australia was dismissed for 82 then restricted the West Indies to 105. Debutant captain Arthur Morris packed his second-innings top-order with tailenders, but the tactic failed. After Ian Johnson and Geff Noblet fell cheaply, Ring was promoted from his normal number nine to second-drop. He and wicketkeeper Gil Langley saw the hosts to 2/20 at stumps.

On the following day, Ring (67, including 2 sixes and 8 fours) top-scored before being run out. Australia, with its specialist batsmen now batting from numbers five to nine, could tally only 255. On Christmas Day, which was the match’s third day, the visitors reached their 233-run target with six wickets to spare. Wrist-spinner Ring (3/62) took all but one of the wickets to fall.

8. Andy Bichel (SCG, 2002/03)

It was tempting to have Bichel serve as this side’s twelfth man, just as he did so often during his career. However the circumstances of his promotion up the order demand his selection.

Team totals at the SCG of 362 and 9(dec)452 to the visitors, and 363 to the home side, left the hosts needing to score 452 runs in four sessions for victory. Justin Langer then fell at 1/5.

For some reason the batsman who replaced Langer, with 18 overs still remaining before stumps, was Bichel. His elevation would serve to push Martin Love down to number seven, and first-innings centurion Adam Gilchrist to eight.

By the close of play, Australia had reached 3/91. Bichel’s contribution was an unbeaten 49 from 55 deliveries, with eight boundaries. Unfortunately he was dismissed the following morning without adding to his score, and the hosts ultimately totalled just 226 for a 225-run loss.

9. Nathan Lyon (Wellington and Christchurch, 2023/24)

Lyon is the current team’s go-to nightwatchman. In his 139 matches to date, he has batted in the top-seven 18 times.

In the Wellington match, Australia scored 383 and dismissed the hosts for 179 late on the match’s second day. After the visitors lost two early wickets in their second innings, Lyon batted ahead of Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey. He was undefeated on 6 at stumps, in a team score of 2/13. The next day he top-scored with 41 from 46 deliveries in a total of 164, and Australia completed a 172-run victory by dismissing the home side for 196. While Lyon also claimed 4/43 and 6/65 with the ball, Green was awarded man-of-the-match. Cricket clearly is a batsman’s game.

Nathan Lyon is checked on by Joe Root. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

The following week in Christchurch, the hosts scored 162 then reduced Australia to 4/107 late on the match’s opening day. Lyon took the crease ahead of Marsh and Carey, and at stumps was unbeaten on 1 in a score of 4/124. The next day he and Marnus Labuschagne completed a 51-run partnership, of which Lyon’s share was 20. Australia subsequently totalled 256, dismissed New Zealand for 372, and overhauled its 279-run target with three wickets to spare.

10. Merv Hughes (Bellerive Oval, 1989/90 and Adelaide Oval, 1990/91)

During the course of a 53-Test career, Hughes appeared once each at numbers four, five, six and seven.

In the Hobart match, the home side was restricted to 224 then dismissed Sri Lanka for 216 late on the match’s second day. After David Boon and Tom Moody went cheaply, it was Hughes who batted at number four. By stumps, he was undefeated on 9 in a team total of 2/25.

Merv Hughe. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

The following day he increased his score to 30 before losing his wicket. Centuries to Dean Jones and Steve Waugh enabled Allan Border to declare at 5/513, to which the visitors managed 348 in reply. Despite Hughes’ first-innings 27, and bowling figures of 3/68 and 5/88, a batsman from the losing side was awarded man-of-the-match. Did I mention that cricket is a batsman’s game?

In Adelaide the following summer, Australia scored 386 before dismissing England for 229 late on the match’s third day. When the home side slumped to 4/64 in its second innings, Hughes took the crease ahead of Border, Greg Matthews and Healy. At stumps his side was 4/68, with his contribution an unbeaten 3.

The following morning, he completed a 66-run partnership with Boon and advanced his own score to 30. Australia ultimately scored 6(dec)314 to set a 472-run target, to which England replied with 5/335 to force a draw.

11. Hugh Trumble, James Kelly, Bill Howell and Ernie Jones (MCG, 1901/02)

This match was the template for Bradman’s successful tactic 35 years later. It began on a pitch so unplayable that England bowled out Australia for 112, before being dismissed for only 61 itself.

Forced to bat again, home skipper Joe Darling took tailender Trumble to the crease with him. As wickets continued to fall, fellow tailenders Kelly, Howell and Jones followed at numbers three, four and six. Jones’ dismissal left Australia on 5/48 at stumps, but crucially with the wickets of five specialist batsmen still intact.

The following day, batting conditions were much improved. Recognised batsmen Clem Hill (99), Monty Noble, Victor Trumper, Reg Duff (104) and Warwick Armstrong (45no), occupying positions seven to eleven, took their side’s total from 6/98 to 353. Debutants Duff and Armstrong shared a 120-run last-wicket partnership. Chasing 405 for victory, England could manage just 175.

>Cricket News