The Australian Test wicketkeepers position is well and truly up for grabs.
Incumbent gloveman Matthew Wade has been inconsistent. His keeping, while better than during his first stint in the Test side, is still not up to international standard, as he missed a number of costly chances during the recent series in India.
The most notable was the dropped catch of Cheteshwar Pujara in the second Test.
His batting is also a concern – he has only averaged 24.6 since being recalled in November. For a player who was apparently picked for his batting, that just isn’t good enough.
Considering Wade’s keeping and batting haven’t been good enough for international cricket, it’s time for Australia to pick a new keeper.
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At domestic level, Peter Nevill, Sam Whiteman and Tim Paine are the names usually brought up when as options to replace Wade.
However, one keeper has stood out above the rest: Alex Carey.
The South Australian gloveman recently broke the record for most dismissals in a Sheffield Shield season, and has taken catches that Wade wouldn’t have a chance of holding onto. Carey is the best pure gloveman the country has seen since Ian Healy.
His work hasn’t gone unnoticed, with former shield keepers Chris Hartley and Darren Barry praising him on Twitter.
Carey’s batting has also been solid, racking up 594 runs at 33 and scoring five half-centuries.
If given the opportunity, Carey could become Australia’s next long-term Test keeper.
Don Freo
Guest
Not so. He has played some blinders at the WACA against WA in the past 2 seasons. He started with SA as an opener while Ludemann had the gloves. He is a very good batsman...way better than Starc, Pattinson or Agar. Whiteman is better, though...as is Inglis.
Don Freo
Guest
Yes...a career average means absolutely nothing. Why do people keep citing it? Experience establishes trends...not a fledgling past. Carey is excellent. Whiteman is the best.
Joe Bell
Roar Rookie
Fair point, tried to watch as much shield cricket as I could, and I am utterly convinced Nevill is better than Wade. Carey does seem a sharp keeper too from what I've seen (only 3 shield games though)
Joe Bell
Roar Rookie
Agreed Nudge, although I'm awaiting the day they unleash the 4 quicks together I think you'd need pretty juicy decks to consider it consistently (not gonna happen), so Lyon still takes the cake. Although I'm not a massive fan of rotation, given the fragility of all our quicks it doesn't hurt to have one in the wings either. Lyon is also still doing a job for us as you say
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Did well? Did well by his own standards maybe.
qwetzen
Guest
Mr Dog, These are your last two headlines. "Australia must pick Alex Carey for the Ashes" "The side Australia must take to the Champions Trophy" OR WHAT?????????
Nudge
Guest
Because Lyon is world class with 250 odd test wickets at 33. Maxwell is a part timer at best. When you have a spinner with such a great record in Australia you play him. It's not a given by playing 4 gun quicks that you're going to knock over sides every time for 250 or less.
qwetzen
Guest
Speaking of wicket-keeping stats....I wonder how much people have actually seen of their preferred keeper.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Why not put maxwell at 6 and not pick Lyon?
Steve
Guest
It's got to be Nevill, showed marvellous form with the bat after being dropped and his keep is far superior to Wade. Wade performed far better in India than anyone could have imagined. If Nevill had performed the same he would've been criticised. Amazingly, Wade gets massive credit for not being totally incompetent in India! He was neither great, nor bad, but somehow that earns him credit.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
If we're going to play 4 quicks wouldn't it be smarter to have maxwell at 6 bowling some spin the keeper at 7 and then the 4 quicks.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Yea I'm referring to his average this season. I think that it's also worth noting that he only got picked for the last few games of the 2015/16 season. He played the entire season this year and his batting was a lot better.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
I prefer to have Paine in the ODI/T20's and Carey for the tests
BurgyGreen
Guest
I think it's got to be Nevill, or take a punt on Whiteman. If you pick Carey he probably bats at 8 behind Starc and/or Pattinson.
Joe Bell
Roar Rookie
Still not sold on Wade being considered a "reliable" keeper-batsman. He is neither reliable in terms of runs, nor keeping ability. Bring back Nev. Clearly wasn't up to the batting standard we required so he went back to the shield and scored a stack of runs (625 at 56.81) including 3 hundreds. In the absence of comprehensive wicket-keeping statistics that are being ever-more called upon my personal judgement is that his keeping is still of a far higher standard than that of Wade.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
If Hartley couldn't crack it young Alex will need luck more than form.
Nordburg
Guest
For the up coming Ashes series,I'd go with the keeper who's in the best form with the bat because it gives the selectors an opportunity to bat him at 6 and pick Hazelwood,Starc,Cummins and Pattinson in the same side,barring injury of course and still have Lyon
Keagan Ryan
Roar Guru
Yeah this seems like a bit of a reach. Granted he had a very good Shield campaign but his batting simply isn't up to scratch yet. Australia are going to be tempted to play four seamers with Pattinson or Cummins batting at 7, which means you need a reliable keeper-batsman at 6. Paine was dropped by Tasmania during the Shield season and seems a long way down in the pecking order, but Nevill literally didn't put a foot wrong for NSW. If you were to drop Wade, having performed solidly in India, it would be for Nevill. Carey isn't coming from the clouds to play in the first Ashes Test.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Really, they "must" pick a second tier state wicket keeper over an incumbent who just did well in a tough series? Article titles like this make me want to barf.
Nudge
Guest
The word I've got from a reasonably reliant source is that Carey will get a cricket Australia contract very soon. He does look like an outstanding glove man. It's all about timing for keepers and he could be timing his run at the perfect time.