Wade at ease back in Aussie colours

You forgot to mention there was no real proof Bopara was out, at no stage could you see both sides of the bail dislodge and Bopara's foot off the ground together, the 3rd umpire was guessing.

I am reliably informed that on his way to the Adelaide Oval, Ravi Bopara trod on a crack, walked under a ladder, crossed paths with a black cat and made a fair mess of a Chinaman with his car. How else can we explain getting dismissed by a keeper standing up to the stumps for a quick bowler while not taking the ball cleanly - or even at all. And with a handful of runs to get to win. That may well be the unluckiest dismissal of all time. Worst of all the book says, "Stumped, Wade". Wade had less idea where the ball was than Bopara and that, ladies, is why they say, "Cricket is a funny game". It almost leads me to think there should be a rule change which says "A batsman can only be dismissed if the events leading up to his dismissal are intentional". Of course, with Wade, as Nathan Lyon found out, even under that wording the batsman might still be given by the third umpire on the grounds that Wade never takes the ball cleanly!

I think you'll also find that many commentators have remarked at Wade's improved keeping. There seems to be this set against Wade that I'm finding a little difficult to understand. I'm not suggesting he's the best wicketkeeper going around and he does make mistakes, but he's far better than many on these forums give him credit for being. Seem to recall only a year ago the number of similar remarks about Warner and Smith. He wouldnt be selected if he wasnt considered up there. And before you start about Marsh and Bailey and Finch etc, I for one dont think they are poor batsmen, just not suited to test cricket. But they are still damned good batsmen and Wade is a good wicketkeeper batsman. You dont get selected to that level unless you're up there.

Didnt say his keeping was off at all. Just said that his batting is what we all are impressed about at present...or have I misread all those articles about him saving Australia with his BATTING.

"But he’s the flavour of the month at present and can do no wrong, but that’s because of his batting, not his wicketkeeping". Clearly that is rubbish. Haddin's keeping was outstanding this summer. Outstanding.

+1

Should've picked Ronchi - has been pretty good against India for NZ

I don't miss watching too much cricket Bearfax and I struggle to remember him taking too many diving catches. I know he does dive a bit but his feet don't move so he has too. As I'm sure you would have heard from Healy and co over the summer Haddin was phenomenal behind the stumps this summer. As I keep harping back,for your keeper to miss 15 chances ( and that's being generous) in 10 tests is nothing short of disgusting

Like I said Nudge its in the eye of the beholder. A year ago people were complaining about how bad Haddin was keeping. No I'm not suggesting he's not keeping well now but I dont think his keeping was that much different back then, perhaps not quite as sharp. Wade has been through a bit of a bad period but I recall this fellow displaying some of the most athletic catches I've seen. Like all cricketers, wicketkeepers go in and out of form. I'm not saying criticism isnt warranted, and that he has a way to go to be considered championship material, but I''ve watched him just as you have and I've seen some quite remarkable efforts with dismissals. And dont suggest Haddin hasnt dropped sitters. he has. But he's the flavour of the month at present and can do no wrong, but that's because of his batting, not his wicketkeeping

Wade a specialist keeper batting at 7? Sorry, no. The bloke is not a specialist keeper; and IMO right at this point in time, he is not cut for International cricket as we sit here...

Yep Whiteman for me too

Yeah but that was a long time ago. Things change.

I agree with all that. Whiteman has looked very polished behind the stumps every time I've seen him. He does the basics very well, which not many others do (Haddin included). Add to that he's a fine bat. The choice is becoming increasngly obvious and maybe by next season he'll be the next cab off the rank.

"He is not a bad wicketkeeper by a long shot" you been holidaying in Antarctica for 2 years Bearfax. 15 missed chances in 10 tests is 12 too many. And one wonders now why Nathan Lyon is starting to be regarded as world class. Haddins taken about 8 chances from 8 off Lyon in the past 8 tests. If Haddin had of missed 7 of those which is what Wade was averaging off Lyon, I would very much doubt Lyon would be on the plane tomor to South Africa. Haddin hasn't missed a chance in 7 tests and taken several one handers and some beauty's off Lyon.

Have the selectors forgotten about TIm Paine?,he was thr australian one day keeper before injury.

Watching the BBL game between the Scorchers and Stars yesteday Whitemans keeping was superb. Both in a stumping and runout. Don't see why they didn't blood him in the two dead rubbers. Wade has been tried and tested and is probably the worst keeper on keeping ability playing first class cricket. He is being picked purely on perceived batting abiltiy.

Whether Wade can be considered a good wicketkeeper or not is in the eye of the beholder because its difficult really from an independent perspective to determine quality variations at that level. He's not a bad wicketkeeper by a long shot, but is he the best around and does he meet the criteria of Australia's desire for a wicketkeeper who is also a good batsman. Haddin has done a damned good job since early last year, but realistically its his batting that has significantly raised his status. His wicketkeeping has looked pretty decent, but I've seen him fumble quite a few even in recent times. As long as he is batting like he is, then he'll hold onto the job. So what is it that we want for an Australian wicketkeeper. South Africa has De Villiers, who is also one of the best batsmen in the World. England had Prior, but it was more his poor batting than his wicketkeeping that brought him under recent negative review. We became used to the genius of Gilchrist for his outstanding batting, but was he a great wicketkeeper, and did it matter if he wasnt the very best, as long as he was good at his art. I think wicketkeeping is going much the same way as the hooker position went in rugby league. In rugby league the hooker was there to win you a better than average number of scrums in a seemingly equal contest. Now the scrum is just a set play to get the game moving again. If you are very lucky you'll win a scrum not meant for you. The hookers role has become something of a second half , playing dummy half to set the play. Likewise in cricket we now look for a wicketkeeper who can score 40 odd runs or more per innings and can handle the wicketkeeping job satisfactorily. That's why Haddin is there. He's scoring big runs. Wade was there because he was averaging with the bat over 39 in FC cricket. Only Haddin is fractionally ahead of him compared with the present wicketkeepers Whiteman: 35 Carters: 33 Paine: 32 Hartley : 32 Ludeman: 24 Australian cricket likes wicketkeepers who can bat well and the only one promising that asset of the younger group other than Wade , is Whiteman and maybe Carters, both still young enough to build on their averages, but also perhaps too young for test cricket. I suspect that the age of the great wicketkeeper such as Grout and Oldfield has passed. A wicketkeeper I suspect today is a first class batsman, who can also keep wiickets well

That stumping has proved why Matthew Wade should not be anywhere near a cricket field.

Yep. It was like nothing had changed in 12 months.

I'm glad Wade saw the funny side of the Bopara dismissal. Because the serious side is that he mis-gloved another one he should have taken cleanly.