In Keeping with Tradition
The selection of English wicket keepers especially in restricted overs games is notoriously fickle; in the last 18 months alone 5 different individuals have been selected as keeper (Prior, Kieswetter, Foster, Davies and a 1 match cameo from Eoin Morgan). This kind of swing from the hip selection policy is often blamed for the squandering of batting talents such as Graham Hick and Mark Ramprakash and the latest victim appears to be Craig Kieswetter.
Kieswetter was never going to be the best keeper to grace England’s starting XI but we knew that when he was selected in the first place, and I don’t doubt the logic behind the selection the World Cup final century speaks for itself. It was the right call then so why is it not the right call now? Kiewetter’s form with the bat against Australia and particularly painfully against Bangladesh was poor and his confidence shot. However he has gone back to County cricket and averaged nearly 50 in the 40 over competition. Surely as the man in possession he deserves another shot?
Enter Steve Davies another powerful opening batsman who unlike Kieswetter has excellent skills with the gloves. His domestic record is excellent this season he averages 60 in 40 over cricket this season and arguably given the selection of Kieswetter was unlucky to miss out on the T20 World Cup. England have flirted with Davies’ selection giving him a solitary one day international and twenty20 plus regular England Lions appearances. Now though the selectors seem ready to take the plunge; this is Davies’ chance to show that his promise and superb domestic record can translate to international cricket with an eye as always on Matt Prior’s test berth.
But what of Matt Prior? In the past test series Prior was quite clearly England’s second best batsman with his match winning innings at Trent Bridge and face saving knock at the Oval Prior played fluid counter attacking innings, scoring freely but yet stout in defence. At face value this would be the perfect series for Prior to assert himself in the one day team an England team without Bell or Pietersen makes the middle order look increasingly weak. However Prior’s superb test summer was built upon plenty of county cricket, it is probably wise not to over cook Prior by putting pressure on him to perform in one day internationals when the priority has to be the Ashes, and he’s a nailed on certainty for that particular engagement.
What is clear however is that in Prior, Davies and Kieswetter we have three high class wicket keeper-batsman who could arguably be selected on batting expertise alone and who ever wears the gloves is clearly capable. England must now go about formulating a plan for the coming fifty over World Cup and with limited one day games (12 in 2 series to be exact) before it all kicks off, it’s vital they get to settled team sooner rather than later. Davies selection is highly significant and baring complete failure against Pakistan he surely will play a significant part in that plan, which may mean that Kieswetter will now seen as something of a one hit wonder, but what hit it was!
