Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has questioned why Cameron Bancroft was selected as gloveman for Sunday night’s final Twenty20 against India.
Bancroft missed a key stumping opportunity off legspinner Cameron Boyce to dismiss Suresh Raina first ball with the Indian batsman going on to register a match-sealing unbeaten 49.
Bancroft is not a specialist `keeper and while he took the gloves for the Perth Scorchers throughout their Big Bash campaign he remains in the field for Western Australia in first class cricket.
“I’m a bit shocked with the decision to play Bancroft, because Tim Paine had a really good Big Bash, and Peter Nevill’s keeping has been outstanding,” Haddin told the Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast on Monday.
“My feeling is you should pick the best wicketkeeper, because you’ve got to take those half chances.
“But the chairman of selectors (Rod Marsh) is a wicketkeeper. I don’t really know his rationale behind it.”
Bancroft was unlucky not to secure his first Australian Test cap after being selected as an opening batsman on Australia’s cancelled tour of Bangladesh last October.
However, given the makeup of Australia’s Twenty20 squad, the 23-year-old batted at No.7 in his international Twenty20 debut and did not face a ball after coming to the crease in the final over.
Haddin argued with the wicketkeeper unlikely to play a large role in T20 batting, the country’s safest gloveman should be chosen for this form of the game.
Bancroft was brought into the side after the struggling Matthew Wade was rested ahead of the one-day series in New Zealand, which begins on Wednesday.
danno
Guest
Neville should be the keeper as he is the best gloveman. He plays spin well too and would have been handy on Indian pitches.
Don Freo
Guest
You sound very dumb, trying to be smart fp11. That made no sense at all.
Don Freo
Guest
Who disagreed with you? Pepper Jack? Just don't give his opinions so much power over your own self concept. Believe in yourself a little more, Viv.
bigbaz
Guest
Mm, very interesting, and who do you reckon he means when he says Rod Marsh. Very cryptic .
Chinmusick
Roar Rookie
How is it Bancroft's fault that he was selected as the Keeper? Haddin has retired so if he is whinging due to a broken heart then that's just not cricket. Nobody forced him to retire from international cricket, I get the impression when he says "Tim Paine" and "Peter Nevill" he actually means Brad Haddin.
fp11
Guest
"He is very level headed." You summed up his biggest flaw so well.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
It won't do Cam Bancroft any harm. Watson's response was more measured and understanding of players on debut. Any player who is in line for Aus duties needs to get used to ex-players sticking the boot in. They invariably do it if given enough opportunity in front of a mic. I remember Punter copping public criticism from AB and that did hurt him I think. Punter copped it from just about everyone.
VivGilchrist
Guest
It's obvious. Don Freo. Although I do remember him criticising me for not agreeing with Warne....
Don Freo
Guest
I very much doubt that Cam's confidence was affected in any way at all. He is better for the experience. He is very level headed.
13th Man
Guest
He is a opening batsman and will be a very good opening batsman. He got nothing out of last night. He didn't get a bat (other than two balls from the non-strikers end) and his confidence was shot after the missed stumping. Think the selectors stuffed that up, having said that I did support his selection a couple of days ago but in hindsight it did him no good.
Dicky M
Guest
Bancroft's selection was indeed yet another "strange" decision from the selectors... He has always been a keeper and right through from WACA u15's/ 17's, /19's was always behind Whiteman in the pecking order.The point generally has been missed that he only got the gloves for the Scorchers due to Whiteman being injured..so to throw him into International cricket was a big ask..Batting wise , no problem but Australia must resort to a proper keeper that at least keeps for their state...
Don Freo
Guest
You'd be best off listening to both of us. You have much to learn. Hadds seems to have forgotten that, by his definition, he was not a specialist keeper either. Bancroft is a keeper first, who broke his way into the WA side as a batsman when Whiteman got the keeper's spot. Similarly, Hadds started as a batsman for NSW because he couldn't displace Phil Emery with the gloves. Go to Hadds for tips on how to keep. Come to me for history, observation and general wisdom. Happy to help.
dan ced
Guest
Bancroft muffed the stumping, and missed the run out. The experiment is over. It should've been Ludeman or Paine, but they wanted to give Bancroft some token international experience.
Jameswm
Guest
So Pepper Jack - do you think Wade is a good keeper?
Pepper Jack
Guest
hmm, who do i listen to when it comes to wicketkeepers - A recently retired keeper that played 226 games for Australia including 66 Tests, or a know nothing that sheds a tear every time a player from WA is criticised?
Tana Mir
Roar Rookie
Our pitches resemble/mirror Indian pitches. Our multiple policies made sure India wins comfortably. Now that we have appeased BCCI, is CA getting more lucrative contracts/serises offered by BCCI? Unfortunately, lately it has become more about profit margins than Cricket. Just not cricket anymore!
Don Freo
Guest
How come Hadds has never made that criticism of Wade? He knows Wade is not a specialist keeper.
Pepper Jack
Guest
*whispers in Haddin's ear* "you more then anybody should know that our current selectors are useless" What do we need to do to bring back AB as selector?