Many people would not have thought of Ryan Campbell as the obvious choice to replace Adam Gilchrist, on leave from the Australian one-day team due to personal reasons. But consider the alternatives:
* Wade Seccombe (Qld) - is more suited to four day matches. Swings the bat alright, but isn't a batsman who could bat at seven and make a quick 20-30.
* Brad Haddin (NSW) - more obvious choice, but is very out of form. Watched his ING Cup performance on Saturday, and he looked like he was struggling to keep and open the batting.
* Darren Berry (Vic) - good gloveman, but would be the weakest of the keepers in Australia batting-wise.
* Sean Clingeleffer (Tas) and Graham Manou (SA) - too young and inexperienced. What if Cairns edges one, they drop it, and Cairns makes 100? That may set them back years.
Campbell, on the other hand, fulfils a number of criteria:
* He can open the batting
* He can score quickly
* He's 30 (unlikely to get many more chances at the top level)
* And he's a handy gloveman to boot.
So while it doesn't surprise me that Campbell was given the nod, it is rather interesting that exactly eight years ago, another Western Australian wicket-keeper was brought in after the regular keeper was injured. It was the 'keeper's first ODI in seven years. The keeper? Tim Zoehrer.
* Wade Seccombe (Qld) - is more suited to four day matches. Swings the bat alright, but isn't a batsman who could bat at seven and make a quick 20-30.
* Brad Haddin (NSW) - more obvious choice, but is very out of form. Watched his ING Cup performance on Saturday, and he looked like he was struggling to keep and open the batting.
* Darren Berry (Vic) - good gloveman, but would be the weakest of the keepers in Australia batting-wise.
* Sean Clingeleffer (Tas) and Graham Manou (SA) - too young and inexperienced. What if Cairns edges one, they drop it, and Cairns makes 100? That may set them back years.
Campbell, on the other hand, fulfils a number of criteria:
* He can open the batting
* He can score quickly
* He's 30 (unlikely to get many more chances at the top level)
* And he's a handy gloveman to boot.
So while it doesn't surprise me that Campbell was given the nod, it is rather interesting that exactly eight years ago, another Western Australian wicket-keeper was brought in after the regular keeper was injured. It was the 'keeper's first ODI in seven years. The keeper? Tim Zoehrer.