BJ Watling, Luke Ronchi and perhaps Derek de Boorder loom as challengers. Watling was the form batsman of the one-day series in Sri Lanka. The intention was to send him home before the tests for the Plunket Shield. Instead, he stayed as injury cover for Daniel Flynn before the first test. He has since played one Twenty20 innings for Northern Districts against Central Districts - he was dismissed for one.
The first-class match starting today against Canterbury at Seddon Park shapes as a trial for his test future. Watling could provide batting grunt at 6 or 7. He has played eight tests but only one as a wicketkeeper - against Zimbabwe in January, when he scored a maiden century, took four catches when the visitors were bowled out twice in a day and conceded just four byes. Watling didn't keep in four subsequent tests.
The move to have Watling keep was a triumph for then-coach John Wright's selection. He reasoned Watling would bolster the middle order - especially as a trained opener against any second new ball - and thought him useful with the gloves in provincial action. However, a hip injury, solid performances by van Wyk and a struggle opening in one test against the West Indies saw Watling banished.
If van Wyk is deemed excess to requirements, homegrown talent might again be skipped in favour of new Wellington gloveman Luke Ronchi.
Four years ago, Ronchi was Australia's No2 wicketkeeper behind Brad Haddin. He shone on debut during the 2008 limited-overs series in the West Indies and was establishing himself as Haddin's long-term successor until his form faded and he was overtaken by Graham Manou, Tim Paine and today's incumbent Matthew Wade.
Born in Dannevirke, Ronchi decided to give things a go back in New Zealand once an opportunity emerged. Wellington obliged. Ronchi completes his mandatory four-year stand-down period in January. In three Plunket Shield matches, he has 13 dismissals, second only to Otago's de Boorder this season. The 31-year-old's given away just 10 byes in 511.4 overs.
He also made 127 at better than a-run-a-ball against Auckland. It reinforces the 111 he made in a first-class cameo last summer after deciding to cross the Tasman with his wife and 2-year-old son to revamp his career.
De Boorder might also enter the reckoning as a respected protege of New Zealand coach Mike Hesson. Hesson gave de Boorder his debut with Otago in 2007-08 - he has been a core member since. The 27-year-old has struggled in four matches with the bat this season, making just 132 runs at 18.85, but he leads the wicket-keeping dismissals with 17. He topped the dismissal ranks last year with 38 and was second the previous two years.
But his batting form has dipped over the past season. He was second to Kyle Mills in the 2010-11 batting averages with 66.70 and was a genuine contender when Watling won the wicketkeeping spot.
