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Opinion
Alex Carey has just completed his first Test match. Many commentators made the observation that he had gone about his business so efficiently that you had to blink to notice him.
That’s a very fine way to begin your Test career as a wicketkeeper: unobtrusively.
Carey completed a very composed first Test, taking eight catches. He didn’t do much with the bat, but better days will lie ahead. He isn’t as noisy as Paine was with his constant chatter, and I like that. Too many players waste too much energy with meaningless chatter, but I guess it’s a case of whatever rings your bell.
Carey looks as if he was meant to be Australia’s keeper since birth. It’s encouraging that now Paine is apparently gone (especially after an impressive debut by Carey) that the long line of often distinguished keepers will continue.
(Photo by Matt Roberts – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
In olden times there was a regular refrain across many kingdoms: “The king is dead, long live the king”. The whole point of the refrain was an effort by the mandarins to reassure the masses that the new king would prove to be just as wise and benevolent as the old king.
If only history could show this was actually true!
But when it comes to the custodian of the Australian cricket team, the refrain: “the keeper is dead, long live the keeper” actually rings very true. I think it is fair to say that Australia has venerated its wicketkeepers to an extent not matched by any other country.
For starters, Carey is just the 34th keeper to be handed the precious prize of his country’s keeper. It would not be amiss to suggest that after the Test captain, the wicketkeeper is the next most highly respected position in the Australian cricket team.
In this Test match Pat Cummins became the 47th player to captain the baggy green, but only 34 men have been entrusted with the keeper’s gloves.
Here’s another fascinating stat: Australia and England were the first two Test cricket nations. While Australia have selected only 34 keepers in over 150 years, England have chosen 69, twice as many. Even India, who played their first Test 55 years after Australia, have gone through 36 keepers already.
Many of our best keepers have had to bide their time to achieve their life ambition. It’s often a long, lonely vigil. There have been just 13 keepers who have kept for Australia in 20 or more Tests. They are – in order, with Tests as keeper in brackets – Jack Blackham (32), Jim Kelly (36), Hanson ‘Sammy’ Carter (28), William ‘Bert’ Oldfield (54), Don Tallon (21), Gil Langley (26), Arthur ‘Wally’ Grout (51), Rod ‘Bacchus’ Marsh (96), Ian Healy (119), Adam Gilchrist (96), Brad Haddin (66), Tim Paine (35) and Matt Wade (22).
Of these, Langley was the oldest, at 32, when he made his debut. Haddin and Grout were each 30 when they first stepped behind the stumps, as is Carey now. Tallon, Carter and Kelly were all 29, while Gilchrist had just turned 28 when he debuted.
As you can see, even some of our greatest keepers have had to wait to gain the cherished prize. It is not handed out easily or frivolously. While Paine initially debuted at age 26, he was 33 when given the opportunity to again continue his career.
Tim Paine had to step aside after an unfortunate indiscretion was about to become public. I liked Paine, but he had had a poor series as leader against India last year, so he would have been under some pressure to lift his standard.
Now it doesn’t matter. Carey has the job, and if first impressions count for anything, he will be there for quite some time.
The keeper is dead, long live the keeper.
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