Test Cricket is crap and a waste of time, but can someone explain to me why a player who is normally a number 11 batsmen comes in at number 4 to be a night watchman.
It's to protect the higher order batsmen from getting out when there's not a lot of time left in a day. When a wicket falls the following day they know they'll have a whole day in front of them to play their natural game and amass a high score. Unless they are playing for England on this tour, then they can play a stupid shot and get out cheaply.
Personally I prefer the Australian method - over the years they have tended not to use night watchmen - their batsmen take responsibility and get out there and bat
Ok but if they have to put someone in to bat cos the proper batsmen may not last the small time that is left, how do they expect him to last the whole of the next day. What happens if the night watchmen who is generally crap gets out first ball, is there a second night watchman.
They usually get out and bring in the player who was supposed to come in anyway so it was a waste of a wicket. Stupid if you ask me.
Batsmen are generally most vulnerable when they start their innings. Coming in towards the end of the day means that he has to, in effect, start twice. Once at the end of the day, and then again in the morning. There is some logic to it, but the night watchman has to be able to be a bit, especially the following morning otherwise he is then in the way. England have employed two night watchmen before.
