Cricket is a game that mainly involves three elements- batting, bowling, and fielding. In fielding, there is a position of wicket-keeping that involves more hard work than other positions. A wicket-keeper’s position is permanent, unlike the other fielders. Wicket-keeper doesn’t have to move much in the field and is more focused on the ball than anyone else. He has another specialty that the others do not have, which is stumping. Cricket has seen many great keepers such as Adam Gilchrist, MS Dhoni, Mark Boucher, etc. We will look at the top ten wicket-keepers from the West Indies with the most dismissals in test cricket history.
1. Jeff Dujon
Jeff Dujon is a former West Indies wicket-keeper batter who represented his country from 1981 to 1991 in test cricket. He hailed from Jamaica and was a right-handed batter. He was a part of 81 test matches. Dujon holds the record for most dismissals in test matches for the Windies- 270 to his name. It includes 265 catches and five stumpings.
2. Ridley Jacobs
Ridley Jacobs is a former Windies wicket-keeper who batted left-hand. Jacobs was a part of 65 test matches for the Caribbean nation, making his debut in 1998. The keeper from Antigua played test cricket until 2004. He has 219 dismissals in the test format, with 207 catches and 12 stumpings.
3. Denesh Ramdin
Denesh Ramdin was a part of the West Indies Test team in 74 matches. He made his test debut in 2005 and played his last test in 2016. The right-hander, who hailed from Trinidad, has 217 dismissals, with 205 catches and 12 stumpings. He is a former captain of the West Indies test team.
4. Deryck Murray
Deryck Murray began his test match career in 1963 and went on to play for more than 15 years. He retired in 1980. He was born in Trinidad and was a wicket-keeper batter. The Trinidadian played 62 test matches for the West Indies. He has 189 dismissals to his name, with 181 catches and eight stumpings.
5. Junior Murray
Junior Murray is a former West Indies wicket-keeper who represented his country until 2002. Murray made his test debut in 1993 but didn’t play regularly in the side. He was a part of 33 test matches in which he accumulated 101 dismissals. Those dismissals include 98 catches and three stumpings.
6. Gerry Alexander
Gerry Alexander whose real name is Franz Alexander was a former Windies wicket-keeper batter. He hailed from Jamaica and was a right-handed batter. Alexander made his test debut in 1957 and played for four more years until 1961. He was a part of 25 test matches and accumulated 90 dismissals, including 85 catches and five stumpings.
7. Shane Dowrich
Shane Dowrich is a wicket-keeper batter who is currently part of the West Indies test team. He was born in Barbados and was also a part of the under-19 team. He has been a part of 35 test matches and has accounted for 90 dismissals. It includes 85 catches and five stumpings. He began his test career in 2015.
8. Courtney Browne
Courtney Browne made his test debut in 1995 and played his last match in 2005. The former wicket-keeper batter played for Barbados in first-class cricket but was born in England. Speaking of his numbers, he has 81 dismissals in 20 test matches to his name, including 79 catches and two stumpings.
9. David Murray
David Murray is the son of the legendary West Indies batter Everton Weekes. He represented the West Indies Test team in 19 matches. He made his test debut in 1978 and played for four more years until 1982. Murray hailed from Barbados and batted right-handed. He has 62 dismissals in test matches, including 57 catches and five stumpings.
10. Carlton Baugh
Carlton Baugh represented the West Indies Test team in 21 matches. He generally batted in the lower order. Baugh made his test debut in 2003 and played his last test in 2012. The Jamaican wicket-keeper batter collected 48 dismissals behind the stumps in his test career. It includes 43 catches and five stumpings.