Cameron Bancroft should not be picked as the wicketkeeper for the first Ashes Test: Ian Healy

Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy has urged the selectors to not pick Cameron Bancroft as a specialist behind the wickets for the first Ashes Test. Bancroft has pressed his case forward with some consistent performances with the bat and has kept in few first-class games this season. His name would surely be discussed when the selectors will meet to pick the team for the first Test in Brisbane. However, Healy backed the cricketer to be picked as the specialist batsman at no. 6.

Bancroft has been racking up runs in the ongoing season of Sheffield Shield for Western Australia. So far in 6 innings he has amassed 442 runs at an average of 110.50 and has remained not out twice. He scored his career-best 228* in the ongoing match against South Australia and the timing of his runs demands selection right away. He also played as a wicketkeeper for his team which makes his case even more interesting.

He should be given no. 6 spot

Ian Healy hailed Cameron Bancroft for his consistency and felt he should be picked albeit as a specialist batsman in the team. “I’d be very disappointed if Bancroft was the keeper. “I think he should be given the number six batting spot. Someone who’s kept in three games out of 66 first-class matches doesn’t deserve to be the Australian wicketkeeper,” he was quoted as saying by the Wide World of Sports.

The 53-year-old also recalled the time when Australia had picked Phillips as the wicketkeeper when he himself was reluctant to do the job in the 1980s. “(Making Phillips the keeper) wrecked the team in the 1980s. The bowlers weren’t getting the support from the keeper, they had no confidence that the keeper could do the job because Phillips had his hands full trying to do a job he wasn’t that familiar with. Please, let’s learn from the mistakes we made with Phillips and respect the wicketkeeping fraternity,” Healy added.