The fact that Brad Haddin, in horrid form with the bat, carrying a shoulder injury and 37 years old, is still a walk up start as our national wicketkeeper means he’s either an exceptional leader or Australia’s domestic alternatives are not performing well enough.
Haddin’s comeback since returning to the national team has been beyond all expectation and he still has time left at the top. He is surely nearing the end of an excellent career though and there is a lot of speculation as to who will replace him.
Matthew Wade is often mentioned, alongside Chris Hartley, Peter Nevill, Sam Whiteman and Tim Paine.
Hartley is an excellent glovesman and is a much better batsman than is often mentioned – he averages more than 30 in Shield cricket. Peter Nevill is the most in-form option and has been dominating for New South Wales of late. Sam Whiteman, at 22, is the long-term solution.
Tim Paine is still an excellent cricketer but has not risen to the level he looked like he would before a series of injuries. He was dropped by Tasmania last week due to his lack of runs but will be back.
Hartley and Nevill are in strong positions to be the next Australian Test keeper. If it were up to me, though, Wade would get first opportunity when Haddin calls time.
Wade, unlike many modern keepers, was dropped from the Test team because he made too many mistakes with his glove-work. Normally, wicketkeepers are kept out of Test cricket because their batting is not up to scratch, but Wade’s average of 35 is more than handy, especially considering he faced South Africa and travelled to the West Indies and India in his 12 matches.
Too many times he missed a stumping or dropped a catch though. Nathan Lyon, in particular, seemed to suffer. The selectors had to make a call and hindsight says Haddin has not let them down.
Many fans and commentators at the time were happy to say Wade was a long way off the level required. They were probably right, and probably a bit over-the-top. Eighteen months since his axing and everyone seems to have the same opinion of Wade – good batsman, his keeping is not up to it.
But is that still the case?
A well worn path for Australian players is to get a taste of Test cricket, get exposed, get written-off, return to state cricket, perform, and then return to the top, usually as a much better player. To name a few: Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Steve Waugh and Steve Smith. You get the point.
Many of the above were unlucky to be dropped but many were supposedly never to play again. Johnson and Smith, in particular, appeared a long way off the feats they have recently achieved when they were last dropped. Brad Haddin himself, can be added to that list.
Better judges than me will be able to tell whether Wade has made the necessary improvements to become the next player to bounce back into Test cricket. I suspect he will never be the best keeper but he will be much better than what he showed in his first crack at Test cricket. He is a state captain as well, and Australia can never have too many good leaders in their team.
I hope Haddin continues to play at the highest level for as long as he can. When he does step aside, though, the selectors should make sure they look long and hard at Matthew Wade as his replacement.
Quitwhinging
Guest
Live with it, he took his opportunity when he was handed a life-line. Get over his performances when he was dropped, he's shown he's an improved keeper.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Except that his selection for the RSA v AUS series flew in the face of his competitors performances in the domestic OD tournament. It sends the wrong message and also raises the question of how well one of the other 'keepers would have gone had they gotten the opportunity, soon as Wade was one of the worst performing.
Quitwhinging
Guest
true, Wade was justifiably dropped but the recent series against South Africa showed he's improved particularly to spin. Most people seem to forget he's only 25, 26 so it's not like he's very old.
Armchair Expert
Guest
Not sure how many here watched the recent SA v Aust one day series, Wade hardly put a foot wrong with the gloves or the bat, it appears some have their minds fixed on events from 18 months ago.
Rob JM
Guest
And then there is ryan carters, who looks like he might make it as a test level batsman, although he hasn't proved he can bat well while keeping.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Really? So what was wrong with Haddin's keeping in the first Test that you'd drop him? And with the selectors just electing Steve Smith as the third youngest captain of all time, do you really think they're going to drop someone of Haddin's experience?
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Wade's keeping has improved a lot. He is almost a decent grade level keeper now.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
The selection of Wade despite his glove-work not being as good is always suggesting he's a much better batsman, yet Nevill has a better First Class Average than Wade does, while, I'm pretty sure, being a better gloveman. Wade may have improved his keeping, but he's not even the best batsmen among current Australian first class keepers, the the idea that he can be picked despite inferior keeping skills because he's a better batsman doesn't fly at all. If Wade averaged 50+ with the bat and the next best was 35, then you would definitely have to consider him despite being inferior with the gloves if he had improved enough to drastically cut down on the continual errors he produced last time, but when he's not even the best batsman amongst the bunch either on long term averages or on current form or the last season or two, it's hard to find any reasonable excuse for selecting him for Australia.
Steve
Guest
Rubbish! The best wicketkeeper in the country is Chris Hartley.
Quitwhinging
Guest
none of what you have said is true, Haddin has always been a serviceable but dodgy gloveman, Wade has proven his keeping has improved during the ODI series against South Africa and will get a second look in as a test wicketkeeper. Whiteman while promising is having a poor season with the bat. Lastly you say "Australia should consider going for a 10 year keeper to build momentum with the younger bowlers on the horizon". How old do you think Wade is?
dan ced
Guest
Wade would possibly make Aus A as a batsman.. but neither as a keeper. He has been suspsended from shield a couple of times for being a prat too. He did ok in the recent ODI's much to my disgust but he shouldn't have been selected in the first place! Hartley should be ODI keeper, Ludeman for tests. See which one rises to the occasion.
Casper
Guest
No way, Wade is not up to keeping in club cricket, let alone a test match. Tried, failed, tried again & came up short. Haddin is not the best keeper in Australia but has earned his test spot based on team contribution, he is the ultimate team player & probably won us the ashes, not withstanding Mitchell Johnson's efforts. Hartley is the top keeper & a useful batsman, but the selectors obviously won't go for someone his age so let's move on. I always rated Tim Paine but he hasn't been the same since that finger injury. Australia should consider going for a 10 year keeper to build a combination with the younger bowlers on the horizon. If you look back in history, Healy got the test role as a rookie & never looked back after a few early wobbles, Wade has had those wobbles for a few years & doesn't show signs of improvement. Healy got the Qld job because Peter Anderson, a better keeper, got injured and Anderson never ever got a look in after that. Healy got the shove to allow the Aussie side to play Gilchrist as a keeper for greater depth & Gilly ended up as a quality keeper. Whiteman for mine, he's technically sound and has time to develop.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Indeed he was. The issue with this article: it sets up for a good argument (i.e. Wade is thought to be poor, but in actually fact...) but then finishes with 'I don't really know if he is good enough or not, but I reckon he should play. Where are your facts and figures, mate; what is this based on? It seems to me that Wade is still not a good enough 'keeper to be in the test team, and you've done nothing to sway my opinion.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Geez people are so erratic. Haddin was acceptable behind the stumps on Saturday, but his batting has been truly awful for years, but for the Ashes anomaly. Had this team been more settled and there been less need for a "seasoned campaigner" to support Clarke, we'd have never seen Haddin again. As for Wade, isn't this the bloke who has been the worst performing 'keeper-batsman (with the bat) in domestic cricket for the two years since his demotion? He's certainly not the best gloveman, so on what basis should he be selected?
Edison Marshall
Roar Pro
Wade's keeping has improved a little, but to be honest it's still not good enough. The poor bloke is a better bowler than a gloveman. That said he might be the best option if something were to happen to Haddin in the next 6-12 months. But any longer than that and I expect Nevill, or Whiteman to have stood up and scored the necessary runs to take over long term. Hopefully anyway.
Nudge
Guest
Spot on
E-Meter
Guest
Haddin is clearly the best keeper in this country. His work behind the stumps in the 4th innings was as solid as ever.