Pakistan's Wasin Bari - a double century of catches

By A.C. De Silva

FLASHBACK: Wicket-keeping is a specialist's art and one has got to be really fit to do the job behind the wickets. Wasim Bari of Pakistan became in first wicket-keeper of the subcontinent to account for a double century of catches behind the stumps in Tests. He reached the target when he snapped up Graham Yallop off Mudassar for 30 in Australia's first innings just before lunch on the third day (Jan 4, 1984) in the fifth and final Test at Sydney.

Bari is the third wicket-keeper in the world to do so after Marsh and Knott. Bari's achievement has come in his 91st Test. Needing only two catches at the start of the Sydney Test to reach the mark, Bari accounted for Wessels and Yallop. He caught one more: Border to take his final tally to 201.

Bari has effected 27 stumpings to take his total aggregate of victims to an impressive 228. Marsh has taken 344 catches (356 dismissals) in 95 Tests.

Wasim Bari who turned 64 years on March 13 this year, made his Test debut against England at Lord's on July 27, 1967) along with another Pakistani Salim Altaf under the leadership of Hanif Mohammed. He made 13 runs in the only innings he played. He dismissed four English batsmen (two caught and one stumped), Colin Milburn being his victim. He conceded no byes in England's first innings total of 369.

Bari is the first wicket-keeper in the world to account for seven dismissals in a Test innings (all caught) at Auckland against New Zealand in 1978-79. This was emulated only by one more wicket-keeper, Bob Taylor of England in the Bombay Test in 1979-80. Taylor dismissed three more in the second essay and holds the record of dismissing most batsmen in a Test.

Bari is the only wicket-keeper of Pakistan to account for five or more dismissals in an innings on two occasions- five against England at Leeds in 1971 and seven against New Zealand at Auckland in 1978-79.

Bari 50 and 8 dismissals

Bari's name also appears in the list of wicket-keepers who have scored 50 and accounted for 8 dismissals in a Test match. Dennis Lindsay: 69 and 182; 8 catches, for South Africa vs Australia at Johannesburg, 1966-67; Marsh: 56 and 8 catches, for Australia vs West Indies at Melbourne, 1975-76; Bari 63 and 10; 8 catches, for Pakistan vs England at Leeds in 1971.Bari is the only Pakistan 'keeper to compile a wicket-keepers' double of 1,000 runs and 100 dismissals in Tests. Bari has scored 1,366 runs from 81 Tests with the help of five fifties, 85 against India at Lahore in 1978-79 being his career best knock. His 81 appearance in Tests is also the most by a Pakistani in Test cricket.

The break-up of Bari's 201 catches against different countries is: England (50), Australia (56), India (50), West Indies (18) and New Zealand (27).

Milestones of Bari's catches

1st catch: C. Milburn off Asif Iqbal for 3 - at Lord's in 1967, (1st Test).

50th catch: A.P.E. Knott off Asif Masood for 83 - at Lord's in 1974 (23rd Test).

100th catch: S.M. Gavaskar off Sarfraz Nawaaz for 137 at Karachi in 1978-79 (42nd Test).

150th catch: M.W. Gatting off Mudassar Nazar for 7 at Lord's in 1982 (63rd Test).

200th catch: G.N. Yallop off Mudassar Nazar for 30 - at Sydney in 1983-84 (81st Test).

A lot has been written and said about the man behind the stumps and how he feels squatting there waiting to be hammered by some of the fastest and best of fast bowlers in the world. Wasim Bari is of course referring to the speed of Imran Khan, and the swing and cut of bowlers like Sarfraz and Sikander Bakht and he says the three mentioned in his opinion were about the best bowlers of their kindproduced in Pakistan.

Wasim Bari says that it is a difficult exercise to stand up to their bowling.

It's quite an experience facing up to them. Wasim Bari says that sometimes he wonders why he is keeping wickets at all. There are times while fielding the ball that he feels as if somebody has driven a nail into his fingers. There are occasions when you feel as if someone is ruthlessly banging away on your hands.

Wasim Bari says that if someone wanted to examine his hands and fingers, that person would never believe that he is the person who have taken so much of a beating from bowlers of all types.

He would at once come to the conclusion that he is a softie, because of his soft palms and very thin fingers. "Every time Imran Khan starts his run and every time he crouches behind the stumps in anticipation of another thunderbolt from him, he used to think whether that ball would put him out of the game.

Wasim Bari says at most times a wicket-keepers's fingers are swollen after a hard day's work. That is chiefly because of the pounding the wicket-keeper has got from the bowlers.