Cricket: Glovemen must bat to be long keepers

Rod Marsh is said to have walked the boundary during an Ashes test in the 1990s and seen England specialist wicketkeeper Jack Russell pottering about on his lonesome.

Russell, generally accepted as one of the world's great glovemen, had been replaced by batsman-keeper Alec Stewart to give the side more balance.

Marsh apparently paused, shook his head and simply said, "what have they done to our craft, Jack?"

Such is the way behind the stumps these days. If you can't bat, you won't make it as a wicketkeeper.

The emergence of the likes of Stewart, Adam Gilchrist, Brendon McCullum, MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara made the batsman-wicketkeeper concept standard practice.

Just as Robbie Hart replaced Adam Parore and played just 11 tests, Gareth Hopkins faces a similar challenge to extend his career beyond four caps when New Zealand next play a test against Pakistan in January.

Hopkins has been an outstanding exponent at provincial level - he would fit into the top order of any team on batting alone - but has struggled with the gloves and bat since replacing McCullum as wicketkeeper in the test team.

The 34-year-old missed a crucial opportunity to cement his place during the three-test series against India. Hopkins had five starts, made 44 runs, averaged 11 and never scored more than 14 in an innings.

His second innings as a first-drop nightwatchman in the third test at Nagpur presented the perfect opportunity for him to graft out a decent score on a pitch where India made 566-8 declared. He was one not out at stumps but got through to only eight on the fourth morning, capitulating with the rest of the team.

Hopkins battled for more than an hour just once in his five innings. He ended up 11 not out in the second innings of the second test.

There had been glimpses in the past of an ability to grind (but not flay) attacks in international limited overs.

He has struggled for the most part but shown promise with a solid run of 35, 45, 20 and 26 at a reasonable clip during the Chappell-Hadlee series in March - where he kept as well. He has not passed 16 in four outings since.

Then there is his wicketkeeping. Hopkins is sound behind the stumps but lacks McCullum's dexterity and agility. He has averaged 4.23 byes per innings at first-class level since the start of last season to McCullum's 2.67.

The gruelling step up to tests needs to be put into perspective. Hopkins gave away 37 byes in five test innings, of which just three of those innings were completed. But that is in an environment where bowlers ask more questions of batsmen and consequently keepers - be it through movement in the air or deviation off the seam, compared to provincial or club level.

But Hopkins is coming under pressure from other glovemen in the Plunket Shield. Reece Young's move from Auckland - where he shared the duties with Hopkins - to Canterbury is paying dividends. His batting has been steady, averaging 31.50 with a top score of 39 after three rounds, but his keeping has been sharp. He hasn't conceded a bye in five of his six innings.

Some experts claim Young looks more natural and fluid behind the stumps than Hopkins; with less tension in his arms. He has been described as a better technician, whereas Hopkins is more of a grafter.

Neither lose points on their batting at domestic level but, at 31, Young must finally be edging towards a test start. He was given a taste last year in Sri Lanka, unusually as a substitute keeper for McCullum.

Young produced his best batting last year without the gloves. His 126 not out and 80 came when Hopkins was keeping, while Hopkins scored 201 after he'd kept against Central Districts.

Kruger van Wyk, 30, represents another potential heir apparent to McCullum in the longer form after his move from Canterbury to Central Districts in the off-season. He's a tidy craftsman behind the stumps, a resolute lower-order batsman and a sound strategic thinker - he captained his province in the absence of Jamie How during the last round of the Plunket Shield.

Peter McGlashan seems an unlikely choice given his penchant for innovation and the abbreviated formats but his record is sound for Northern Districts. He is yet to play four-dayers this season because of a broken finger.

Otago's Derek de Boorder is also fashioning some smart statistics after Otago's perseverance with him in McCullum's regular absence. The consensus is he is not yet in the top bracket.