Vote of confidence in gloveman’s future

AUSTRALIAN GREAT Ian Healy believes Matthew Wade can become one of Australia’s great wicketkeeper-batsmen, predicting that his extraordinary run-scoring exploits will roll over into his suspect work with the gloves.

Wade completed a magnificent second test hundred before lunch at the SCG yesterday, racing to three figures with the Australian tail as Sri Lanka parked most of their fielders on the rope, to their peril.

He now averages more than 45, the fourth-best in the team behind Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and David Warner. The innings was proof that if circumstances demand it, he is up to batting in Australia’s top six.

The flipside to Wade’s first home test summer has been a shortcoming behind the stumps. He has missed several stumping and catching chances.

Healy, arguably Australia’s greatest wicketkeeper, believes Wade will eventually overcome those deficiencies.

Australia have a former test wicketkeeper among their staff – Steve Rixon is the team’s fielding coach – and among his priorities will be improving the 25-year-old’s skills with the gloves.

‘‘He’s got this ability with the bat, like Adam Gilchrist, to bat with the tail and then explode on his own to get a hundred when there is not much left,’’ Healy said.

‘‘ That will overflow into his keeping. His keeping is a bit tense at the moment and he’s getting a little bit surprised too often that the ball is coming to him. That then worries you and you continue to worry, and it gets worse and worse.’’

However, the confidence of that batting performance would flow into his keeping, Healy said.

‘‘It takes maybe one or two years for a wicketkeeper to think properly and to be able to switch up and down with the concentration and to stop stressing.

‘‘He’s the right age and he’s got all the skills and the ability so he’ll get there.’’

Wicketkeepers are now chosen at international level as much for their run-scoring as their glovework. Wade registered a test century on his first tour, in the West Indies last April, and his second yesterday had all the hallmarks of a Gilchrist ton in his pomp.

If the jury is out on whether Australia should have played four quicks in Sydney, then Michael Clarke was at least right when he said Wade was up to featuring in the top six. ‘‘He opens for shortform games so that means he’s a batsman, not just a wicketkeeperbatsman,’’ Healy said.

‘‘If we want to bring in a bowler or an allrounder that bats No 7, we can. It certainly tells the selectors that if the situation arises again where we’d like to play five bowlers, we’ve got a capable top six.’’

At stumps , Sri Lanka were 225, leading Australia by 87 runs with three wickets in hand.