Which wicketkeeper should play in the upcoming ashes?

[greg]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

I notice we have two votes for Jones. I also notice that neither voter has said why they voted for him!!

Probably because they were Aussies.

[Scott-Wozniak]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

I notice we have two votes for Jones. I also notice that neither voter has said why they voted for him!!

Well I'm happy to admit to being the second person to vote for Jones, but I can't claim responsbility for being the first I'm afraid, I'm also happy to give you my reasons why.

Again, this depends on what you want to beleive, and I happen to beleive that Jones was sent back to County Cricket to get some rest and time in the middle before the Ashes series. The fact that he didn't go out and score lots of runs is neither here nor there and is merely symptomatic of the fact that he was simply 'burnt out' from having played so many back to back Tests and ODI's without a break. He'd also had to put some much effort into improving his keeping due to the constant stream of criticism his batting suffered as a result and the only real solution was to give him some time out of International Cricket ala Trescothick.

Enter stage left, the next likely contender being given his third chance to show what he can do on the back of an improvement in his batting in County Cricket and A Tours, but not being promised an extended run in the side nor a starting place against the Australians, nor a central contract. I wonder why that was, did they really just want to see if Read had in fact improved his batting? or was it that they needed to give Jones some time off? The timing of the change rather suggests to me they wanted to give Jones a rest from International Cricket otherwise they would have replaced him much earlier.

Read did well enough on his recall, albeit somewhat unconvincingly, to warrant a place in the ODI's and Champions Trophy side but only succeeded in undoing all of his scratchy luck strewn runs for the Test side by what can only be described as an appalling display in the Champions Trophy. Batting returns of 2, 0, 4 , 5 byes conceeded and a missed stumping made Jones' recent performances in the ODI side almost Gilchristesque.

It's really not that hard to see why the selectors, particularly Fletcher and Flintoff, who'll make the final selections in Australia might be somewhat twitchy about selecting Read for the first Test, regardless of whether it may be fair or otherwise to do so.

It's very unfortunate that Read has posed more questions since his return than he's answered and we still don't know if his batting is going to be good enough or not and the only way of finding out is if he does play all 5 Test Matches, but if England hope to get a positive result out of this series (which I don't think they will) playing Jones would be the sensible thing to do.

[Scott-Wozniak]

Originally Posted by Scott-Wozniak

I happen to beleive that Jones was sent back to County Cricket to get some rest and time in the middle before the Ashes series. The fact that he didn't go out and score lots of runs is neither here nor there and is merely symptomatic of the fact that he was simply 'burnt out' from having played so many back to back Tests and ODI's without a break. He'd also had to put some much effort into improving his keeping due to the constant stream of criticism his batting suffered as a result and the only real solution was to give him some time out of International Cricket ala Trescothick.

It seems I wasn't far off in my assessment of Jones, if his comments in this article are anything to go on -

JA: How do you think you've performed since then?

GJ: I was rubbish when I went back to Kent because I was still taking that anxiety out to bat. It wasn't until I took a step back that I saw I was far too intense and worked up, and putting too much pressure on myself.

I went back to basics, standing pretty still and being as relaxed as I can - and I scored some runs in the last couple of Championship games.

Being dropped by England has done me good: physically and mentally I feel fantastic whereas I was drained by the time it came to being left out.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...nd/6124118.stm

[TopperHarley]

Jones for me, albeit it is a very tough decision.

I am a Jones fan, however I was happy to see him put out his misery in the recent summer.

I feel his keeping, whilst below read's very high (but not flawless, as some would have you believe) standard, is now more than acceptable. He is experienced, a good team man, and I feel he just looks more convincing with a bat in his hand than Chris Read, he also was part of the single biggest partnership in the last Ashes series.

Read is a fine keeper, but it's Jones for me. Marginally.

[Quagmire]

Just give someone else the gloves, anyone can keep to pace the only hard thing about keeping is to the spinners up to the stumps even with bowlers like Panesar and Giles. Imagine if England could get a man like Strauss to keep it would allow for an extra batsman or bowler, thats why someone like a Gilchrist is so special.

[greg]

The press seem to think that Jones will play as he is the better bat.

Goodness knows where that idea has come from as Jones is clueless.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by TopperHarley

and I feel he just looks more convincing with a bat in his hand than Chris Read, .

He looked very convincing in the summer. I was always convinced he'd get out very quickly. And he did, EVERY time!

Every time someone's out of form now it appears to be blamed on fatigue or something rubbish like that. Face it, the guy is not quite as good as some would like to think he is. He dined out on a ton in his second Test and the odd half decent innings after that.

[Collyisamackem]

NE - if you think that GoJo was criticised for his lack of consistency with the gloves from day one but improved that remarkably over time, don't you think he can do it with the bat? He has more natural talent with the bat and just struggled for consistency because mentally he was putting a lot of pressure on himself, IMO. With a rethink of how he approaches batting, as he has done at the end of the season, I think he can be more consistent, and what's more I think he can do that soon.

That said, the place is Read's now and GoJo has to earn it back, I believe Read will keep at Brisbane and throughout the series if he turns up with the bat.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Jones does LOOK a better bat (has got a lovely square cut) but fails to deliver on the whole. That said read isnt in the best of form but needs time really. However, with word being we'll be playing 5 bowlers in the first test, I'm slightly concerned that read will end up batting at 6. Still read for me but only just.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

NE - if you think that GoJo was criticised for his lack of consistency with the gloves from day one but improved that remarkably over time, don't you think he can do it with the bat?

I don't know, Colly. Maybe. How much time do you give someone?

I am hoping that the young lad from New Road, Davies is the real deal. Then, once Read has had his chance let's get him in. Jones isn't one for the future. Let's not waste time with 30 somethings who aren't quite there yet.