An article in The Cricketer paints a lurid picture of all the changes in wicket keepers that may take place before next season.
In relation to Warwickshire, it says:
Leicestershire' Ben "Cox, 34, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been courted by other counties. Warwickshire – for whom both Alex Davies, who has struggled with a finger problem, and the inexperienced Kai Smith have another year remaining on their respective contracts – have been understood to be among those potential suitors. Yet, it is unclear whether they will move for a new gloveman this winter. Every county in the land – Ian Westwood's men included – would be better for seeing if James Bracey, the third-highest run-scorer in the country, could be tempted to swap Bristol, even with two seasons remaining on his existing contract."

I think maybe Alex Davies' "finger problem" consists mainly of umpires raising one to give him out.

Wasn't it claimed when he first joined us that due to hand injuries he was not able to keep in red ball games.

So either he's had a miracules recovery of he has been selfishly playing when he know he was not fit enough to perform the full demands of the rol, and harming the team, and the development of other players.

Also most of his dismissals, this year, if not longer have not needed an umpires decision they are so obviously out.

Highveld wrote:

Wasn't it claimed when he first joined us that due to hand injuries he was not able to keep in red ball games.

So either he's had a miracules recovery of he has been selfishly playing when he know he was not fit enough to perform the full demands of the rol, and harming the team, and the development of other players.

Also most of his dismissals, this year, if not longer have not needed an umpires decision they are so obviously out.

You are right on both counts, Highveld. My comments about the umpire's finger were a lame attempt at humour.

Do we want/need someone to come is as the number one keeper, or an experienced player who can help to develop and mentor Kai, and be ready to take over the gloves if needed. Which I feel would be the best option, unless we were able to sign an absolute top level keeper who would fill the role for the next 6-8 years. The wisket keeping ability must be given top priority over any batting ability.

The costs involved, and the character of the person would be different for both roles.

If the club goes for the first option, it should be prepared to have to find a second keeper as well, as there would no point a player staying with teh club if his path to the first team was effectively blocked.

How any new signing will fit into the team atmosphere should be considered too, the players spend long periods of tiem together, would it be sensible to sign some who would be a negative influence on the team culture, and who's presence would harm the performance and development of the team, and players overall.

Highveld wrote:

Do we want/need someone to come is as the number one keeper, or an experienced player who can help to develop and mentor Kai, and be ready to take over the gloves if needed. Which I feel would be the best option, unless we were able to sign an absolute top level keeper who would fill the role for the next 6-8 years. The wisket keeping ability must be given top priority over any batting ability.

The costs involved, and the character of the person would be different for both roles.

If the club goes for the first option, it should be prepared to have to find a second keeper as well, as there would no point a player staying with teh club if his path to the first team was effectively blocked.

How any new signing will fit into the team atmosphere should be considered too, the players spend long periods of tiem together, would it be sensible to sign some who would be a negative influence on the team culture, and who's presence would harm the performance and development of the team, and players overall.

While I do believe Kai could have what it takes to be a good Keeper, he's not there yet (though he is as a Batsman). I think he needs a year or two specialist coaching (we might need to go outside, as we have no Keeping, or indeed, Fielding, Coach on the staff) to get there.

In my opinion, that's where Ben Cox could come in. He'll be 35 next season (and has had a few injury breaks while at Grace Road), so would probably do a good job for a couple of years, pending Kai's emergence (or otherwise) in that role. I reckon he'd be a good addition to the squad, has a good batting record and coukd well help Kai develop as a 'gloveman'. He also would be (sort of) coming home, as he is a West Midlands lad.

I agree with this almost entirely. The original quote does seem to say interest (from everywhere) is cooling in Cox so maybe it's not likely anymore, however I think the club has already put some of the pieces in place. The debate about Davies is as much an opening bat problem as a keeper problem, indeed it's more of an opening bat problem as we know there aren't significant issues with his keeping.

That is, and had been, mitigated by the signings of opening batsmen as O/S players with the Aussie Weatherald coming in next season, might well be very smart, and I think Mousley has just about done enough for a second season as number three. Latham or Young would be fine in this regard too.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Highveld wrote:

Do we want/need someone to come is as the number one keeper, or an experienced player who can help to develop and mentor Kai, and be ready to take over the gloves if needed. Which I feel would be the best option, unless we were able to sign an absolute top level keeper who would fill the role for the next 6-8 years. The wisket keeping ability must be given top priority over any batting ability.

The costs involved, and the character of the person would be different for both roles.

If the club goes for the first option, it should be prepared to have to find a second keeper as well, as there would no point a player staying with teh club if his path to the first team was effectively blocked.

How any new signing will fit into the team atmosphere should be considered too, the players spend long periods of tiem together, would it be sensible to sign some who would be a negative influence on the team culture, and who's presence would harm the performance and development of the team, and players overall.

While I do believe Kai could have what it takes to be a good Keeper, he's not there yet (though he is as a Batsman). I think he needs a year or two specialist coaching (we might need to go outside, as we have no Keeping, or indeed, Fielding, Coach on the staff) to get there.

In my opinion, that's where Ben Cox could come in. He'll be 35 next season (and has had a few injury breaks while at Grace Road), so would probably do a good job for a couple of years, pending Kai's emergence (or otherwise) in that role. I reckon he'd be a good addition to the squad, has a good batting record and coukd well help Kai develop as a 'gloveman'. He also would be (sort of) coming home, as he is a West Midlands lad.

I fail to see how signing an injury prone 35 year old, who has rejected offers from Warwickshire in the past, as the number 1 keeper is a sustainable option, or how it will help a young keeper develop if the first team job is blocked.

The decision of who to sign will have long lasting effects on the club and the development of the squad. We have lost two quality keepers in the last two seasons through having a lack of opportunities.

Do we really want to go into next season with an injury prone 35 year old and a 32 year old that averages single figures with the bat and will be out of contact in September?

We have a very talented young keeper/batsman in Kai, he has to be given the chance to develop, there may be errors along the way, but you get that with every young player. Just look at the times Yates and Mousley have faiked while maturing into thier first team roles, even Sam Hain, Ian Bell and Chris Woakes had errors as they developed, but they were allowed a long run in the first tea,m to develop their games and grow into the international class players they became, or should have been in Sam's case.

We either sign an older keeper to be the backup and mento/coach to Kai, also totally removes the need for Davies or find the budget to sign an absolute top level keeper and accept that the club will lose Kai, as there would be no point in him staying if there is no possibility of regular first team cricket.

There are specialist wicket keeping coaches available, Jack Russell is only an hour down the road, Chris Read does specialist coaching and despite their great age it's not unknown for Bob Taylor and Alan Knott to take individual sessions. Also Kumar Sangakhara is in the country a lot of the year and he's a former Bear so could be approached.