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[Manormanic]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2013/content/story/623107.html

Interesting - shows the strength of "keeping" depth now that glovework is second to batting talent in an all round game.  Wheater looked a decent keeper who could bat but was third man behind Foakes who can bat but whose glovework is average....and I do feel a bit sorry for Bates being displaced in this way...

[Alvaro]

I bet you that Bates will still be one-day keeper.

[fasteddie]

It would take a lot to get past James Foster.

So we (am an Essex man) lose another talented young player!

Still, he's using a Warsop in the picture, great bats!

[Binsy]

Bates is a terrific keeper and made a first class hundred last year for Hants. Just shows the modern trend for runs over keeping skills. Poor old Jack Russell would never have made it in this era.

[Burdy]

No chance playing as a keeper with foster there. Adam is a tidy keeper and can bat, but, can be too attacking at times. Essex should have held on to him for short format of the game.

[alba caerulea]

Poor old Jack Russell would never have made it in this era.

Which is a strange trend because when I think back to that successful Gloucs team his keeping stood out more than any of their batsmen, in my mind at least! Pure class, only Foster comes close on the current County circuit

I feel Wheater has made the right decision here, Foster will be there till he retires and with the current Lions keeper waiting in the wings it's better to keep your fate in your own hands than have a 'wait and see' approach. I did a similar thing a few years back and haven't regretted it once

And from a neutral point of view it looks like he is joining a forward-thinking, successful club from one that has become slightly stagnant in recent years. Will offend the Essex boys I'm sure but that's how I see it

[Manormanic]

I wouldn't say that Foakes' glove work was average, he played at my club for a year. Of course he isn't Foster standard but who else really is?

At first class level, from what I've seen, its average at best - not that he does not have potential to improve, but at the present he is a step and more behind where Wheater seemed to be at.

[alba caerulea]

At first class level, from what I've seen, its average at best - not that he does not have potential to improve, but at the present he is a step and more behind where Wheater seemed to be at.

But when you've got an obvious first choice for the next couple of years at least it makes sense to try and retain the understudy with the most potential not necessarily who is best right now as neither would be keeping much anyway unless Foster got caught thieving in Saudi Arabia

Seems a decent outcome for both parties to be honest - frees up some budget for Essex to recruit a specialist bat and with any luck Wheater will get more game or keeping time

[Sam]

What are Hampshire doing. Last year we made an attempt at Foster and now we've picked up another wicket-keeper? No offence to Wheater is meant here but we already have two extremely talented keepers in Bates and Rouse, who last season I thought made a significant development in there batting abilities. I can't see Bates staying here much longer if Wheater get's in ahead of him , his keeping skills are some of the best I have seen and at such a young age I would have thought quite a few counties would have their eye on him.

[Tumo]

That take off Kabir Ali in the CB40 final... Darn, Bates can keep. Feel very sorry for him, the lad is an extremely good keeper, and his batting is coming on leaps and bounds. Wheater is undoubtedly good, but I don't think Hants was the place to go, and I think Hants are shooting themselves in the foot.

[alba caerulea]

Giles White has denied that Wheater has been promised a 1st XI spot

[Sam]

Here's the example of Bats superb keeping that was mentioned above :

CB40 Final 2012- Hampshire vs Warwickshire- Last Ball

CB40 final , warwickshire simply need 2 runs to win off the last ball , and Kabir Ali is bowling! This ball goes through him , and there's a high chance they will get the runs , but he's standing right up next to them.

[i12breakfree]

^^^^ awesome glove work

[Manormanic]

The wierd thing is, Wheater had by all accounts been told that he would start the season in the Essex side as a specialist batsman!