01-22-2019, 02:02 AM
(01-22-2019, 01:46 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:Paine is the best pure wicket keeper in Australia IMO and thats because he is equally comfortable taking both pace or spin.....he is workmanlike with the bat and gritty but isnt at the same level as a Wade or a lot of the other international keepers who can flay attacks and win matches even though Paine has a reasonable average.
Keeping is devalued in the modern era, when I was younger it was your keeping ability that got you picked first and if you could bat it was a bonus...now its probably 50/50 with a leaning towards batting keepers especlally in other countries.
Pant isnt a great keeper IMO but he can bat and flay the bowling, DeKock another who is a matchwinner with the bat and ok as a keeper but nothing brilliant IMO...England are blessed with Bairstow another good batsman who can keep as well as Joss Butler and new wonderboy Ben Foakes who made a century on debut as a fill in keeper bat...
Paine's batting will probably come under scrutiny in England especially if his English counterparts are firing like they have been but I wouldnt be replacing him with Wade in an effort to match Bairstow, Foakes extra matchwinning batting ability. Wade has to make it as a batsman only IMO and will need more runs at Shield level with some big scores....IMO the selectors may still ignore Wade for younger players...
Paine's technique is far greater than Wade's and England is exactly where you want a straight bat.
Paine's batting is not the problem, its the clowns up the order that we need to address.


It is a dying art for Australian captains.