Gilchrist's surprise pick for 'keeping berth

Legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist believes uncapped gloveman Alex Carey may jump ahead of the pack and win a spot for the Magellan Ashes this summer.

South Australian Carey is seemingly in a three-way battle with incumbent Test 'keeper Matthew Wade and his predecessor Peter Nevill to take the gloves for the first of five Tests against England, starting on November 23.

The 26-year-old has built a reputation as a solid gloveman and handy batsman in his short domestic career to date and was picked on this year's Australia A tour of South Africa, which was cancelled due to the pay dispute between the players and Cricket Australia.

While Wade and Nevill have greater experience at both Test and first-class level, Gilchrist gets a sense that selectors may take a punt on Carey this summer.

"Not really, I'm hearing a big push for Carey from South Australia," Gilchrist told SEN's The Run Home when asked if the battle for the 'keeping job was between just Wade and Nevill.

"I've got declare I've never seen him 'keep. I've seen a couple of highlights of his and he looks brilliant.

"All word is that is he's a very, very tidy 'keeper, very solid and a very solid, without being spectacular in terms of the results he's produced, with the bat.

"He's slightly younger than the others ... I believe he's a very hard worker and a top team man and a good guy to have around.

"I'm probably starting to think that it's more likely that (selectors) might say 'OK youngster, you're in'.”

Gilchrist, who effected more than 400 dismissals and scored more than 5500 runs in his 96-Test career, said selectors were "premature" in their decision to dump Nevill 12 months ago.

The NSW gloveman was one of five casualties from Australia’s series defeat to South Africa at the start of last summer and was replaced by Wade, who played 12 Tests between 2012 and 2013.

Nevill responded to his axing by scoring three centuries (two of them unbeaten) from his next five first-class innings and his career first-class average (40.03) is superior to that of Wade (37.09) and Carey (24.54).

But Gilchrist added he would sympathise with Wade should the 29-year-old be dropped having spent the Test year keeping on difficult pitches in the subcontinent.

"I think they were hasty getting rid of Nevill (last year)," Gilchrist said.

"But now that they've got Wade in there, he's had six Test matches in the subcontinent, the poor bloke.

"That's the hardest spot to keep and bat, so he's probably owed a few games back in these conditions to show what he can do."

None of three 'keeping contenders were able to post a score of substance in the opening round of the JLT Sheffield Shield over the weekend.

All three also registered a Grade 1, or serious, 'error' with the gloves under Cricket Australia's new fielding analysis; Carey and Nevill dropped a catch each while Wade missed a run out chance.

Sheffield Shield dismissals, since 2011-12

Image Id: F121B930902244A2A576272779478DD8

Gilchrist maintained that glovework should be the No.1 strength of a Test 'keeper and echoed the belief of most judges that Nevill is the best pure wicketkeeper in Australia.

And he added the external pressure on the trio to score runs in the opening rounds of the Shield competition may have had an adverse effect on their glovework.

"They would have been walking out in Shield cricket in these games just gone by so focused on scoring runs and probably not as focused on their 'keeping, such is the focus on the runs," he said.

"(Nevill dropping a catch is) clearly showing, if everyone thinks he's the best gloveman and he's dropping them and they're relatively easy ones that he would normally take, they're probably not focusing on the keeping as much as their batting."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21