Behind the timbers .

[bwildered]

Prior and Bairstow currently injured, Larry says Fozzy , how is Read performing,  Moores recently signed Buttler for Lancs so he must be in the driving seat .
So how about your choice ?

[oldhasbeen]

Prior and Bairstow currently injured, Larry says Fozzy , how is Read performing,  Moores recently signed Buttler for Lancs so he must be in the driving seat .
So how about your choice ?

Bairstow's back playing but no way is he good enough to be a Test wicketkeeper (or batsman)
Read's day has gone.
Buttler's exciting with the bat but is he ready behind the stumps?

For once, I agree with Larry - Fozzie should be given a crack. My 2nd choice would be Tim Ambrose.

[IlfordEagle]

Although Fossie is still the best 'keeper in England I don't think he'll get back in the England team, he's 34 & although he's got 10k plus career runs most of them are in LVCC2 which might count against him, also as good as he is he won't get any better. I also wonder if there is an agenda at ECB as he doesn't appear to have even been considered for years even though many including some experts acknowledge he is the best, Read is in a similar boat in that he is getting on & where his batting was once seen as a weak link (which it certainly isn't now!!) age also counts against him which is a shame as these 2 are the best in England as 'keepers who can bat rather batsmen who can keep which is what England seem to go for these days.
A bit worrying that once Prior goes we have little as Buttler isn't good enough yet in either skill - good 1 day bat but not yet good enough in 4 day.

[squarelegumpire]

I suspect that there was an "agenda" about Fozzie, although everyone who might have been involved, at England level, has now moved on. So for a couple of matches, maybe.
Gather Wheater's still injured, otherwise he might well be in contention

[Andy]

I suspect that there was an "agenda" about Fozzie, although everyone who might have been involved, at England level, has now moved on. So for a couple of matches, maybe.
Gather Wheater's still injured, otherwise he might well be in contention

Definitely agree about the agenda. Seemingly blotted his copybook in some way about a dozen years ago. At least in the selectors minds.

Didn't make runs when pushed up the order for ECCC but did get a run in 2007 for England and did quite well. We shouldn't forget that he and his family went through a terrible period around 5-6 years ago, which explains why he turned down the ECCC captaincy, hence Swampy got the 'impossible job' instead.

[IanS]

Although Fossie is still the best 'keeper in England I don't think he'll get back in the England team, he's 34 & although he's got 10k plus career runs most of them are in LVCC2 which might count against him, also as good as he is he won't get any better. I also wonder if there is an agenda at ECB as he doesn't appear to have even been considered for years even though many including some experts acknowledge he is the best, Read is in a similar boat in that he is getting on & where his batting was once seen as a weak link (which it certainly isn't now!!) age also counts against him which is a shame as these 2 are the best in England as 'keepers who can bat rather batsmen who can keep which is what England seem to go for these days.
A bit worrying that once Prior goes we have little as Buttler isn't good enough yet in either skill - good 1 day bat but not yet good enough in 4 day.

You're probably right although neither Paul Nixon's age (37), nor his predominantly Div 2 playing experience counted against him when he won first of his 20 limited overs caps. Ironically, he was replaced by Prior.

[DT]

A bit worrying that once Prior goes we have little as Buttler isn't good enough yet in either skill - good 1 day bat but not yet good enough in 4 day.

I disagree - Buttler is the future in all forms - has a level head and deserves a chance at test level - he is a keeper who bats rather than the other way round so give him a go - his 100 vs the champions last year live on Sky shows he has more strings to his bow.

[JasonP]

A bit worrying that once Prior goes we have little as Buttler isn't good enough yet in either skill - good 1 day bat but not yet good enough in 4 day.

I disagree - Buttler is the future in all forms - has a level head and deserves a chance at test level - he is a keeper who bats rather than the other way round so give him a go - his 100 vs the champions last year live on Sky shows he has more strings to his bow.

He's a better batsman than keeper even though his 4 day batting record isn't that great.  The fact that Somerset prefered Kieswetter as the keeper when both were in the same side says it all as Kieswetter isnt a great keeper himself.  I think Buttler will play is Prior isn't fit.

[DT]

A bit worrying that once Prior goes we have little as Buttler isn't good enough yet in either skill - good 1 day bat but not yet good enough in 4 day.

I disagree - Buttler is the future in all forms - has a level head and deserves a chance at test level - he is a keeper who bats rather than the other way round so give him a go - his 100 vs the champions last year live on Sky shows he has more strings to his bow.

He's a better batsman than keeper even though his 4 day batting record isn't that great.  The fact that Somerset prefered Kieswetter as the keeper when both were in the same side says it all as Kieswetter isnt a great keeper himself.  I think Buttler will play is Prior isn't fit.

Prior himself has played as a batsman over the years instead of keeping wicket in all forms for Sussex and they've preferred another keeper - that says something as well!!

[oldhasbeen]

Judging by James Whittaker's comments - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/27397054 - Fozzie doesn't seem to be on their radar. Shame!

[Valentines Park]

Fozzie doesn't seem to be on their radar. Shame!

Not for us.

Can you imagine the pitiful scores we'd post without him.

[oldhasbeen]

Fozzie doesn't seem to be on their radar. Shame!

Not for us.

Can you imagine the pitiful scores we'd post without him.

Fair point but how many catches & stumpings would the alternatives fluff playing for England?

Prior if fit & back to form is fine; Buttler may mature into a test class wicket keeper but Bairstow / Kieswetter are just stoppers.

[IlfordEagle]

Continuing the 'Foster for England' call in the Daily Mail, Paul Newman who I think is an Essex fan & seems to know a bit re the workings of the Club says that apparently Essex are really keen for Fossie to get an England recall & if necessary when Foakes comes to the end of his contract (2014?) we would risk losing him to retain Fossie behind the stumps, understandable in the short term but we risk losing a 2nd W/K in a couple of years.

[Andy]

Continuing the 'Foster for England' call in the Daily Mail, Paul Newman who I think is an Essex fan & seems to know a bit re the workings of the Club says that apparently Essex are really keen for Fossie to get an England recall & if necessary when Foakes comes to the end of his contract (2014?) we would risk losing him to retain Fossie behind the stumps, understandable in the short term but we risk losing a 2nd W/K in a couple of years.

Come on IlfordE clearly the idea is to get Foakes more England opportunities so that he stays for another contract, tiding us over until Fossie retires. Listening to the Lancs vs Middx match the commentators were lamenting how many of their young talent had moved on, especially Middx.

Personally, I feel too many young players have agents who try to move them around too much. Time for more draconian measures e.g. wage caps or shooting agents? The county game has serious money problems, not helped by the national team's decline.

[IanS]

It seems likely that Prior's lack of match practice will exclude him from consideration by England for Sri Lanka tests. Whether the new selectors carry any prejudice against Foster is open to question. Certainly, Mick Newell (as quoted on Cricinfo today) seems open minded:

Mick Newell, one of the England selectors, admitted this week that the keeping debate split people into two camps and appeared to suggest that the option of returning to a more pure gloveman, in the James Foster or Chris Read bracket, was not being discounted.

"There are two camps of keeper," Newell said. "There is the Kieswetter, Buttler, Bairstow group and there is the Foster, Read group, more the old-school wicketkeeper. I watched Foster last week and he was terrific. There will be an interesting debate there."

If one was being cynical - perish the thought - Newell might be angling to keep Read at Notts.