Jonathan Batty

Jonathan Batty
Personal information
Full name
Jonathan Neil Batty
Born (1974-04-18) 18 April 1974 (age 50)
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1994–2009Surrey
2010–2012Gloucestershire
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 220 209 64
Runs scored 9,673 2,992 656
Batting average 31.50 21.83 21.86
100s/50s 20/41 1/14 0/2
Top score 168* 158* 59
Balls bowled 78
Wickets 1
Bowling average 61.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/21
Catches/stumpings 605/68 220/40 38/21
Source: Cricinfo, 17 September 2012

Jonathan Neil Batty (born 18 April 1974) is an English former first-class cricketer who played for Surrey and Gloucestershire. Batty was educated at Repton School, St Chad's College, Durham University and Keble College, Oxford.

On graduating from Durham University in 1995, Batty joined Hampshire. However, he was not retained. He continued his career on in minor county cricket before being offered contracts with Somerset and Surrey. He chose to become Surrey's third-choice wicket-keeper after Graham Kersey and Alec Stewart. Kersey, however, died from injuries in a car crash in Australia. With Stewart often unavailable to Surrey due to England duties, Batty was able to enjoy regular first team action, often opening the batting when Mark Butcher was also playing for England. Batty was a regular player in Surrey's sustained success, winning three county championships around the turn of the century.

Following Stewart's retirement from international cricket at the end of the 2003 season, Batty was surprisingly not mentioned in media discussions over Stewart's replacement[1] – despite a county average of 57 that season. England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney said Batty's performances do not go unnoticed, but he remained in the international wilderness.

Batty captained Surrey in 2004. However, after a poor season, which saw champions Surrey relegated in the One Day Pro40 tournament, Batty was replaced as captain by Mark Butcher. However, Batty retained his place in the side and was awarded a benefit year by the county in 2009.

Batty equalled the world record for most catches in an innings with 8, against Kent at The Oval in 2004. Shortly afterwards he broke the record for most catches in a match with 11, against Lancashire, breaking the record of then Surrey coach Steve Rixon.[2]

It was announced in October 2009 that Batty was leaving Surrey, having signed a three-year contract with Gloucestershire.[3] He retired following the end of the 2012 season.[4] In an article in the Daily Telegraph reviewing his career, Simon Briggs claimed that he was "the finest uncapped player of the last 20 years".[5]

Batty was named as coach of Surrey's and Oval Invincibles' women's sides in March 2021.[6] Under his coaching, Oval Invincibles won the inaugural season of The Women's Hundred in August 2021.[7] Batty was also named as coach of Melbourne Stars in the Women's Big Bash League in May 2022.[8]

  1. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6643755.stm, Archived 8 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Player profile – Players – Stats – ECB". Archived from the original on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  3. ^ Batty heads for Gloucestershire Archived 24 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 29 October 2009
  4. ^ "Jon Batty announces retirement". ESPNcricinfo. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Stealthy exit for stalwart of the shires". The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 September 2012. p. S24.
  6. ^ "Jonathan Batty named Surrey Women's Head Coach". Kia Oval. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  7. ^ Pathak, Shivam. "The Timeline – Women's Final: Oval Invincibles v Southern Brave – Report, reaction, highlights | The Cricketer". thecricketer.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Jonathan Batty named Melbourne Stars new WBBL coach". 3 March 2021.