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[tombaan]

The gold-capped tooth is still as striking as his floppy hat and silver hair. Nothing much has changed in Bob Taylor’s appearance from the time he stood behind the sticks for England.

Taylor was at the Wankhede yesterday as part of a tour group. It was his first visit to the stadium since he came with Keith Fletcher’s 1981-82 tourists. Doubtless, he was impressed by the electric atmosphere at the stadium especially at a time when the hosts’ tailenders showed some spine.

Taylor has a special connection with this ground. It was here in February 1980 that India skipper Gundappa Vishwanath recalled him after he was adjudged caught behind by Syed Kirmani.

“That was a great gesture of sportsmanship, which cannot be forgotten. I thought I would be in trouble. I remember Kapil Dev’s appeal and was declared out by the umpire (Hanumantha Rao). I wondered what was going on and I started my walk back. Then, Vishy came up to me and said that he will have a word with the umpire,” Taylor recalled.

Hanumantha Rao reversed his decision and Taylor continued his partnership with Botham, which swelled to 171 before Botham was dismissed. England went on to win that Test. If the 1981 series against Australia was called Botham’s Ashes, this was indeed Botham’s Test.

 
Recall: Bob Taylor at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday Pic: rajesh shah
An inspiration
The 64-year-old’s Test career is an inspiration for cricketers who have to bide their time for national honours. He was rewarded with Test-match selection as Alan Knott’s understudy in the Christchurch Test against New Zealand in 1970-71.

He had to wait for another six years before he could wear the England cap again. He had Kerry Packer to thank, for Knott signed up for World Series Cricket. Save the series against the West Indies in 1980, the Caribbean tour of 1980-81 and the Centenary Test against England, Taylor kept for England till the 1983-84 tour of Pakistan. In fact, Taylor was offered a Packer contract too but refused it.

Secret of spirit
How did he keep his spirits high during the wait? “You must always keep at it.  Never give up because you will never know when the call will come,” he said.

He had a chance to come to India as Knott’s understudy in 1976-77 but had to undergo a ear operation. “It was frustrating to miss out. The surgery had to be done and my surgeon said I would thank him eventually for this. I did.

“Roger Tolchard was picked as the second wicketkeeper. And they did not have to change the initials on his kit since they were the same as mine — RWT.”

That did not stop the older RWT from keeping, toiling and peaking.
 
Never too late, Parthiv

BOB Taylor has worked on young wicketkeepers at the Cricket Club of India a few years ago and was wondering whether Mahendra Singh Dhoni was in the same batch that he trained.
The India dasher was not part of that camp but it did include Test discard Dinesh Kaarthick. Taylor was impressed with Dhoni, who despite not being the classiest of glovesmen around, “did a good job.” CCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur, who was the brain behind that camp, rued the fact that Parthiv Patel could not spend time with Taylor.
It’s never too late for the Ahmedabad-based stumper to touch base
 

[Blwe_torch]

Great...Taylor is of my favorites. I have partly covered in one of the erarlier articles in this Board.

English Wicket-keepers.

[dextrous]

tombaan,
please post links if possible, otherwise we will all get in trouble 

[tombaan]

sorry will remember that