There has has been a lot of discussion about the potential make-up of the Australian Ashes squad over the past few months.
One of the positions in the team that is yet to be decided is the role of back-up wicketkeeper.
The role of the back-up keeper is an important one. If Tim Paine picks up an injury just before the start of a Test match, the No.2 keeper could go straight into the team without any prior notice.
The other role of the reserve keeper is to play the odd tour match when Tim Paine is rested.
There are number of options for the back-up keeper position.
Alex Carey
First class record: 1413 runs at 29.43
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 150 runs at 75.00
Carey is the incumbent ODI keeper. He also played for Australia A last year.
While his first class record is far from impressive, he hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to improve his record because of his ODI commitments.
He only played two Shield games last season and scored a century in one of them.
His keeping is pretty good, but he missed a number of chances during Australia’s ODI series in India.
He still has room to improve with his glove work. He is well liked by Justin Langer and probably the most likely to be picked.
Matthew Wade
Test record: 886 runs at 28.58
First class record: 6961 runs at 40.35
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 1020 runs at 60.05
Wade has enjoyed an excellent run of form since being dropped from the Test team in 2017.
He performed well during the second half of the 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season, scoring three centuries.
While he has been batting well, his keeping should be a concern.
Even if he isn’t picked as the back-up keeper, he would be a viable option as a reserve batsman.
(AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
Sam Whiteman
First class record: 2765 runs at 35.44
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 340 runs at 42.50
Whiteman could consider himself unlucky not to have already played Test cricket.
He scored a century just before the Test squad was overhauled in 2016.
He was then earmarked to play for the Australian T20 team against Sri Lanka in February, but a finger injury sustained during the 2017 Big Bash final ruled him out.
The injury was so severe it kept him out of first class cricket for two years.
He has batted well this season, but hasn’t been keeping.
He has played for Australia A in the past and scored a century. The fact that he hasn’t been keeping for Western Australia probably hurts his chances.
Peter Nevill
Test record: 468 runs at 22.28
First class record: 5058 runs at 37.74
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 398 runs at 33.16
While Nevill is certainly an excellent keeper. His batting is what ultimately cost him his spot in 2016.
He had a decent season with the bat, but at 33, he is unlikely to be the back-up keeper.
Cam Bancroft
Test record: 402 runs at 30.92
First class record: 5302 runs at 39.27
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 392 runs at 56.00
Prior to making his Test debut as an opening batsman, Bancroft was viewed as a potential keeping option for Test team.
While he is a very good batsman, his lack of keeping at first class level is a concern. In 80 first class games he’s only kept in three of them.
He did keep for Australia a in T20 against India in January 2016. His missed stumping off Cameron Boyce not only cost Australia the match, but probably cost Boyce his spot in the team.
If he can perform well during his county stint he might get picked as a batsman, but it’s unlikely he’ll be the back-up keeper.
Josh Philippe
First class record: 619 runs at 28.13
2018-19 Sheffield Shield record: 439 runs at 31.35
Given that he’s never kept at first class level, it’s unlikely that he’ll be picked, but Shane Warne picked him in his Ashes squad, so you never know.
Wes P
Roar Rookie
What exactly is stamped on Wade's papers. Travesty.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Wade probably should tour, but not as a keeping option. Carey looks to be the one they will pick. And may be the only option. Concerns in India aren't necessarily relevant in the UK's quite different conditions. If he was keeping again, Whiteman was easily the best glove man before his injuries. But it can't be him when he hasn't worn the gloves for so long.
Bucks
Guest
OR Harry Neilson. No joke, he is the real deal
Bucks
Guest
Surely Ben Foakes was born in Aus? If not Wade or Inglis
terrykidd
Roar Pro
I note Carey has the inside running to be back up but I would go with no one and use Handscombe ...... from what I have seen he has done ok, especially standing up to the stumps.
Meg
Guest
Definitely Peter Handscomb who is great with the gloves but also very handy with the bat. There's also two young guys who are certainly worth a look at and that's Seb Gotch and eventually Sam Harper.
Dart
Guest
Good point jameswm, They will have a backup ‘keeper. The question is whether they select the second best glovesman in the country, or whether they want a utility who could play as a pure batsman or as a ‘keeper. As the article makes clear, there are plenty of options available.
Rugbyrah
Roar Rookie
Handscome! Wade should be first choise keeper.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
The choice is obvious and not changed by the records, recent or otherwise, of the contenders shown here, if you pick on form.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Carey, Wade will never play for Australia again, his papers are marked. They will have a reserve keeper in the squad, an injury could happen on a match day morning like what happened to McGrath years ago.
gwinyai zhandire
Guest
Matthew Wade without a shadow of a doubt. Reasons: 1) Lengthens the batting order and considerably shortens the tail. 2.) Very experienced as a test player 3) A lot of mongrel about him,,, needed in any Ashes series. 4) Reward his performances at Shield level, sends a good message to anyone who wants to make Aussie side in future. 5) I just like the bloke.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I don't think it's vitriol, just... twice bitten, three times shy? Wade's had two chances at keeping in tests and fluffed them both . Not just through batting - if that were the only problem then he'd be a shoe-in for Paine's backup now - but, more importantly, through doing an ordinary job with the gloves. He even dropped a few regulation catches for Tassie this summer. I'm on board if he gets picked as a backup bat. Absolutely the standout batsman in the Shield right now. If we decide for some reason not to take a specialist backup keeper, and Wade is there as a batsman, then he would be the logical stand-in if Paine was injured. But I think we should take a designated backup keeper and it shouldn't be Wade.
AREH
Roar Guru
Carey being groomed as Paine's successor, but for the purpose of this tour, Wade seems the most logical with the obvious bonus of doubling as a back-up keeper/reserve bat in a squad of.. 17 (I believe?)
Josh H
Roar Rookie
It's a tough one, for sure If you want your next best keeper, it's got to be Nevill If you want your next best keeper-batsman, it's got to be Wade If you want to prepare for the future, it's got to be Carey If it were me, I'd probably go with Wade - yes, he is a sub-par gloveman, but the chances of Tim Paine going down with an injury are extremely unlikely (touch wood), so for me it's best to include someone who can double as both a keeper and a batsman.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Remarkable the vitriol against Wade. Brought into the team for a bit of mongrel now he's pilloried for that. Handscomb has stated he doesn't want the job of keeping and in first class cricket averaged a good 45 this season. Wade didn't keep but averaged 60. Yep, he's not the greatest keeper but neither are the rest of them. I expect that Carey will get the back up keeper role in a view to the future, but if it isn't him it has to be Wade. West Aus had 3 keepers as batsmen in their shield team along with a keeper for some games. If your a batsmen who is not getting a start in your state team you would have to think about moving west....
jameswm
Roar Guru
If you want a proper backup keeper it's Carey, full stop. If you want to take a batsman who can play a tour game or fill in for a test at short notice until the real keeper arrives, then take your pick from Wade or Handscomb.
U
Roar Rookie
Gotch looks a future prospect. To be fair, a lot of the keepers around Australia have similar batting records with averages around 30. Not entirely convincing on anyone’s part
U
Roar Rookie
If only Hartley was given the job after Haddin. He’d still be there now I’d say. Great keeper and had the knack of always getting tough runs.
U
Roar Rookie
Carey should stick to limited overs stuff at the most. He’s not very convincing there but that seems to suit him. I’d try and convince Bancroft to become a specialist keeper batsman. Probably be the best way for him to force his way into the side. Paine will probably retire in a year or so(depending on results). I like the QLD keeper Peirson and Gotch from Victoria. But to be honest no keeper is really getting big runs other than Wade. And he is unlikely to see the national colors again.
Paul
Roar Guru
Neel, don't forget Paine is also the captain, so if he misses a Test through injury, Australia has to replace him as a player and as a leader. In that respect I can't see Wade getting a run, not only because he's not a great glove man but because he dropped out of the side, in part because of the comments from behind the stumps. Carey's had the run of the ODIs and has done nothing wrong with the bat and little wrong with the gloves. Most importantly, he's seen as a leader, so would be a natural choice to slot in, I would have thought.