Australia have not picked a back-up wicketkeeper for the World Cup and now in-form keeper-batsman Cameron Bancroft is putting his hand up with consecutive unbeaten tons in county cricket.
Bancroft, who began his domestic career as a wicketkeeper, has hammered 584 runs at 83 in his past ten one-day matches as a gloveman.
Australia named their provisional 15-man squad this past week but can alter that group up until 23 May, and after that can replace any player who gets injured.
Having started the Royal London One-Day Cup with knocks of 151* from 130 balls and 118* from 117 balls while batting at No. 4 and wicketkeeping for Durham, Bancroft will have grabbed the attention of the Australian selectors.
Australia did not pick a reserve wicketkeeper in their provisional World Cup squad, with incumbent Alex Carey the only option behind the stumps. There is stiff competition for the position of back-up gloveman, with former ODI keeper Matthew Wade in career-best touch and in-form middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb also a strong option.
(Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Although Wade had an ordinary JLT One-Day Cup this summer, he was the second-highest run scorer in the BBL. He has also made 1021 runs at 60 in the Sheffield Shield. Handscomb, meanwhile, has a great record as a keeper in List A cricket, with 1044 runs at 47. He also was highly effective as a specialist batsman for Australia during their recent ODI resurgence. Wade and Handscomb would seem the two leading options to be Carey’s back-up for the World Cup.
But history has also shown us the Australian selectors sometimes have very short memories and can be swayed by a run of scorching form. Time and again in recent years we’ve seen dark horses vault into an Australian team on the back of a purple patch.
Bancroft has already experienced this, having come from left field to earn a Test debut in the 2017-18 Ashes thanks to a run-scoring spree across just three Sheffield Shield matches. Leading into that summer Bancroft looked a long way from Test selection, having averaged just 28 from ten matches the previous Shield season.
Then Bancroft started the 2017-18 Shield season with 442 runs in three matches and suddenly he was in the starting XI for the first Ashes Test. He’s been in great nick since returning from his nine-month ban for ball tampering less than four months ago, piling up 1004 runs at 56 across all formats, including three tons.
Durham attracted heavy criticism for handing the captaincy to Bancroft, who has been pilloried by cricket fans and pundits over the past year. But he has immediately answered his detractors with two match-winning centuries.
In both Royal London One-Day Cup matches Bancroft has rescued Durham from precarious situations. In their first game, he came to the crease with Durham floundering at 2-7 and proceeded to make 151* against a Northamptonshire attack led by West Indies captain Jason Holder.
In that innings Bancroft scored only 41 per cent of his runs in boundaries, a very low share, emphasising just how well he pierces gaps and runs between wickets.
Then yesterday Durham were struggling at 2-21 in pursuit of 234 when Bancroft steered them to a comfortable win with 118*. Bancroft has up to eight more matches left in the Royal London One-Day Cup. If he were to average, say, 50 from here on and end up with about 600 runs at 85 for the tournament, I’d imagine the selectors would give serious thought to making him Carey’s understudy.
Obviously that situation is a long way off yet, but it’s also not unrealistic given Bancroft’s wonderful recent form across all formats and his sensational record as a List A wicketkeeper. The manner in which Bancroft has shrugged off the ball tampering fiasco has been extremely impressive.
Asthon
Roar Rookie
i'd make carey as the understudy to bancroft as well. Given numerous Marshesque-like chances, Carey has failed to deliver and is lucky to be in squad ahead of Handscombe.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Bancroft and Pattinson ashes bolters
DTM
Guest
I agree. I don't see him jumping ahead of Handscomb just yet but he'll be kept in mind. I'd be surprised if Wade got recalled - I think he is best suited of the three to bat at 7 but I don't think the selectors want him. I see Renshaw also scored a century. Competition for spots in the test squad is fierce - should be a great Ashes series. I'm looking forward to that more than the WC.
Nick
Roar Guru
Why? Bancroft is the superior gloveman.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Problem that I see is that for ball tampering the ICC sanctions are lenient to say the least. I certainly do not see any other board in the world following CA's example should one of their own be caught messing with the ball, so until we see a review of punishments by the ICC, I am afraid we will be seeing reverse swing just maybe not from Aus.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Interesting stats. I hadn’t realised Bancroft’s career went so far back. Looking at those 15 List A matches over the last 3 years, he only really scored relatively big and quickly once, vs Queensland in 2017 until the recent County games, and there were no centuries. So jury’s still out for me, and I’d take the other two before Bancroft as a finisher at the moment. But maybe he has a future in the ODI middle order? I note with interest your comments on his strength against spin.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Ha ha, know da feeling.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I responded but its 'gone upstairs'.....again.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
If he is good enough. In Tests, you always go with the best keeper. I think he has the balance and patience to be a good keeper. I certainly hope he puts his head down and makes the Test team.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
They did the crime, they did the time. I think a line's been drawn now. I find it amazing that no-one 'knows' how to reverse swing anymore? It seems to have gone the way of the V8! ---- I hate cheating but l love them playing in aggressive manner. The 3 teams I've always loved the Aussies playing are the Windies, the Kiwis and you guys. They seem to have more players who can wear a ball, not flinch and fightback.
U
Roar Rookie
I still think the best way back to the Test team for Bancroft is to become a specialist keeper batsman. Paine won’t be around for a whole lot longer and we have plenty of top order players at the moment.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Hi Rowdy, I am South African and post from here. I thought at the time they got slaughtered by not just CA but also the cricket public globally. Just check all social media cricket pages the second you mention them. Massive knee jerk stuff for a relatively minor offense imo. They cannot spin or PR themselves back into favor. They have to keep scoring runs hence your lovely eagle focus response. I don't care, still think they are immensely amazing cricketers and would love another go at you Aussies. But they must be in the team or it means so much less.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And two are doing this with the focus of an eagle. Steady and undeterred. I think Bancroft and Warner are very durable characters; dependable and strong. ---- That what they squandered, they now value.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Ronan, I have always maintained that the only way for the 3 to silence their detractors is by scoring runs. You have to say so far so good.
Tony H
Roar Pro
Nice. I didn't know that. That being said - Did he come in against the spin, or did he get himself set against the new ball? Secondly - and while I'm not dismissing the outcome - that's a first class game, when you've got time to get your eye in. It's very different in the middle overs of a world cup when you're a few down for not many, or you're chasing a large total and have to be effective from ball one. Regardless of his talent, he's simply put, completely unproven at this level, and particularly in that role.
Ben
Guest
Tony you are half correct, he has made 4 consecutive ducks across domestic and international t20 cricket (Scorchers, T20 Series against India, IPL)
Simoc
Guest
That would be because you are totally ignorant of Durhams situation Tony. Bancroft wasn't first choice but picked after considerable consultation with everyone there. That, of course, is way beyond your limitations. Just stick with the sheep and the sandpaper as the nobodies do.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I love the balance Handscomb adds to the Australian batting lineup On Bancroft he is actually one of the elite players of spin in Australia - as a 22-year-old he made a first-class 150 on a Chennai dustbowl against an India A attack which featured 3 bowlers who have played Tests for India, including Ojha who has 113 Test wickets. That pitch was so spin-friendly that India A were bowled out for 135 in their first innings despite having a star-studded batting lineup of Kohli, Pujara, plus another 3 batsmen who've played Tests. That pitch was so spin-friendly that Australian opening bowler Sandhu gave up bowling pace and instead resorted to spin with great success, taking 5 wickets with his offies. Yet Bancroft still made 150 on that deck against quality bowlers. It was a special knock in 40C heat on a dustbowl.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"I think Turner’s on a run of four consecutive ducks in the IPL." That's wrong Turner has only played 2 IPL matches.