Christopher Mark Wells Read was born and raised in England. He followed his passion for cricket from an early age and quickly established himself as one of the most skilled glovemen in English cricket. Known for his tidy wicketkeeping skills, Read became a respected performer in county cricket.
Read’s talent caught the attention of selectors early on in his career. He was selected for the England A team even before playing a first-class game. However, he faced challenges in his pursuit of international success. Despite playing 15 Tests and 36 ODIs for England between 1999 and 2007, his career faltered under the coaching of Duncan Fletcher. Fletcher believed that Read was too undemonstrative as a keeper and that his batting style was overly committed to attack.
Though Fletcher’s opinions hindered Read’s progress, he exhibited his skills as a capable batsman. While averaging 18.94 in Tests, he doubled that average in first-class matches. Batting as high as No. 6 in the Nottinghamshire middle order, Read was often relied upon to avert collapses with his individualistic mix of enterprise and batting gumption. His performances became a highlight in county cricket.
Read’s retirement from limited-overs cricket saw Nottinghamshire winning both trophies in his absence. However, he remained committed to the team and helped them secure a promotion by scoring a century in his final match of the Championship season. The match ended in a draw, and Read’s career was celebrated as a magical season that brought joy to all who watched him.
Early in his career, Read experienced a memorable incident during a match against New Zealand in 1999. He famously ducked into a Chris Cairns slower ball that he lost above the Lord’s sightscreen. Despite this setback, he showed composure with the bat and made an impact during a run-chase in South Africa.
Read faced setbacks and competition throughout his career, but he always displayed resilience. Even after being dropped following his comeback, he fought his way back into the team and made important contributions. However, as England continued to look for alternatives, Read slipped down the list of keepers. Ultimately, he was unable to add to his 52 England caps.
Nevertheless, Read remained an essential part of Nottinghamshire’s squad. In his 30s, he found a golden run of form and became the team’s leading run-scorer. His average exceeded 50, and he even topped Notts’ batting averages. Despite his exclusion from the England team, his performances in county cricket demonstrated his exceptional skills.
In addition to his batting and wicketkeeping talents, Read was also respected as a captain. However, due to a challenging season, he handed over the one-day captaincy to James Taylor. This decision allowed Taylor to be identified as a potential captain for Notts in the future.
Christopher Mark Wells Read’s career may not have unfolded as expected on the international stage, but his impact in county cricket was significant. With more than 16,000 first-class runs and over 7,000 runs in limited-overs formats, Read left a lasting legacy in the cricketing world. His contributions as a tidiest gloveman and a skilled batsman will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of watching him play.
