Why do wickys have to be between bat and bowlers in tests?

[Marko]

I'd rate Prior as a better batsman than Bopara yet he's lower in the order. Why?

 

[The Voice Of Reason]

They don't Alex Stewart

 

[neechi]

I haven't followed cricket for a lot of years, but in my day the wickies were behind the batsman's stumps, with the bowler way down the other end.

 

[brandon]

AB De Villiers bats at 5 and I think Sangakkara (sp?) bats 3 or 4. So they don't have to be.

 

[essex boy]

the thinking is that if a keeper has been keeping for 2 days, then gives him more time to recover, if we slip to say 30 for 3 then he then he is batting within an hour if he bats say at 5

 

[Andy.SAFC]

In England, county cricket too, it seems set in stone that keepers bat at 7, or open the batting in one dayers

 

[Interloping Tiger]

It's now pretty much expected that a wicket keeper will be an "all rounder" and contribute with the bat rather than just a specialist keeper. I can remember Bob Taylor playing for England and coming in at no 10. He was a very good keeper, but he simply wouldn't get a game these days. [/thiswereallfieldswhenIwasalad]

 

[Dreamboat]

I think Prior would make a fantastic number 6 - it's just a case of who plays number 7.