Why they call the night watch man?
By rajeev
@rajeev075 (1961)
India
December 27, 2011 1:48pm CST
When there is few overs left in play in a test match a tailender batsman is sent out in place of regular batsman and he is called as night watch man?
Why they are send to play and why they called them so?
HOw this rose from history? Does any one explain me.
2 people like this
3 responses
@mohkanari (1957)
• India
28 Dec 11
Duty of a tailender player who is called to bat instead of a regular batsman, on falling of a wicket on an occasion, just a few overs left to end the day's play, is just to keep the wicket safe without getting out by defensive batting. Normally, similar to all night watchman he may return to pavilion during the initial overs of next morning. Duty of keeping wicket safe and usual scene of return back next morning may be the reason for calling them " Night watchman".
2 people like this
@rajeev075 (1961)
• India
28 Dec 11
It's true that they send a tailender player instead of a regular batsman to play in last overs, to ensure the safety of wicket. Now one question is that will that tailender player will able to defend more or able to survive rough bowling than the well prepared regular batsman? No i think.
Well you can say in other words that the tailender player is just to see that his wicket is safe whole night and he can watch his wicket as safe and he will be thrown ot next morning. Mean he is just watching his wicket to fall over whole night.
1 person likes this
@rajeev075 (1961)
• India
29 Dec 11
Hey kull if there is few balls remaining and then nightwatchman man say gone to bat and he got out what then? Who will send you? Wicket is wicket but yes it might save regular batsman. I have seen this thoery always work against INDIA.
1 person likes this
@thewonderboy (7501)
• India
28 Dec 11
Yes, the duty of a night watchman is to keep the wicket safe till the end and not to score the runs 
. 
. 1 person likes this
@thewonderboy (7501)
• India
28 Dec 11
The fact is, if one of the main batsmen loss his wicket just before the end of the day, we use a night watchman 
. I don't know why we call him a night watchman 
.
. I don't know why we call him a night watchman . 1 person likes this
@rajeev075 (1961)
• India
28 Dec 11
Well it out of my mind how a weak batsman can save a wicket more eefectively than a reuglar good batsman.
sarnot1 i got what you say thanks for comment.
1 person likes this
@laligaboy (150)
• India
27 Dec 11
the theory is that losing two top order batsmen in quick succession would be worse than losing one top order batsman & a tailender. it's simple..
1 person likes this
@rajeev075 (1961)
• India
28 Dec 11
You understand the theory wrong. It would be only one batsman to consider and not more. Only one tailender and one batsman is included in theroy and 2 as you telling.
1 person likes this
