If we are going to talk about the night watchman it is similar to the security guard who came to guard his society. Night watchman in cricket is a blower who can bat a little bit. Only in test cricket the nightwatchman is used because a test match is played for five days and per three sessions is played. when a team starts their innings in the third session of a day, the conditions are tough to bat. However, the players were tied due to the all-day field. So, when the batting side lost their opener wicket early, they sent a bowler instead of the following proper batsman. Most likely a tailender. That tailender was named a night watchman in cricket.
Now the top five Knocks played by a nightwatchman in cricket
5. Alex Tudor – 99* (England vs New Zealand, 1999)
Alex Tudor is a fast bowler of the English team but he is basically known for epic knock of 99 not out against New Zealand more than his bowling. He came as a night watchman when his team was in trouble. New Zealand set a tricky target of 208 runs. When England lost their opener only for three runs then Tudor came at number 3 playing a memorable knock to seal the victory for his team.
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4. Nasim-ul-Ghani – 101 (Pakistan vs England, 1962)
Nasim-Ul-Ghani Pakistani fast bowler is the first night watchman to score a century in test cricket and he is the first Pakistani player to hit a century in England. He saves his team from a huge loss when his team falls for 100 runs only in the first innings of the test match. England got a lead for 270 runs in the first innings, and Pakistan has struggled to score runs. However, the young Nasim-ul-Ghani came as a night watchman in cricket and scored a stunning century. He is the first night-watchman to score a hundred in test cricket.
3. Eddie Hemmings – 95 (England vs Australia, 1982)
In the harrowing chase of 460 runs, England lost their opener very early at the end of the day four play. Then the English team sends an off-spin bowler Eddie Hemmings as a night watchman at number 3 positions. He played well and negotiated that evening; moreover, on day 5, he batted brilliantly. He faced all Aussie bowlers with beautiful batting and scored a match-saving 94 runs. England drew this match with the heroics of Eddie Hemmings.
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2. Tony Mann – 105 (Australia vs India, 1977)
It was one of the epic hundreds scored by an Australia leg-spin bowling all-rounder. India set a target of 339 runs to Australia on day 4 of this test match. The mighty Australian team started chasing on the evening session of day 4, but they lost their opening batsman too early. With that, they send Tony Mann at number 3 as a night watchman to negotiate that reaming over of that session. But he played a blinder of a knock and gave a memorable win to the Australia team. It was one of the best knocks played by a nightwatchman in cricket.
1. Jason Gillespie – 201* (Australia vs Bangladesh, 2006)
Jason Gillespie is the best night watchman of all time. He came as a night watchman many times; apart from that match, we discussed the beginning of this article and kept his captain’s confidence. Jason Gillespie is the only night watchman to score a double century in Test cricket history. Surprisingly he became the first Australian batsman to operate an overseas double ton.
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