Keeping Up Appearances

'You are always a better player out of the team than in it.'

A adage that sums up every mention of player X being ready for England, a label given to many in recent months. After arguably the worst international winter in history, only two or three Test places seem safe, with the roles of opening batsman, No.3 and spinner all up for grabs.

But it is the absence of a wicketkeeper which for me is most worrying. Matt Prior has once again succumbed to the Achilles injury that has plagued him for years, and cannot even play for Sussex as a batsman, let alone keep. Therefore a series of likely lads are once again trotted out, circa 2006. Craig Kieswetter, Steven Davies, Jos Buttler, Johnny Bairstow and even Middlesex's Jon Simpson have been talked up.

But are any of them really good enough?

Simpson's mention merely proves the confusion and unpredictability surrounding the current England team selection. Meanwhile Bairstow, 'the man in possession', has only kept for Yorkshire twice following a broken finger, and showed in the Ashes his glovework is no way near Test level. Buttler is very much seen as the heir-apparent, but he also missed some big stumpings over the winter, and needs time to develop at his new County Lancashire.

Davies and Kieswetter may be good choices. Both posses good batting records at First Class level, and both have had a taste of international cricket, without managing to cement a position. Yet they pose the same problems that picking Jos Buttler would - are they good enough behind the stumps? Why gamble on a 27 or 26 year old, when you could equally gamble on someone who is 23? The pressure either one would be under is ridiculous; always having a younger man on their heels, looking for a call-up after every good ODI knock.

Therefore, a keeper selected may well be a stop-gap. In his last stewardship, Peter Moores selected Ryan Sidebottom to take the new ball for England. It was clear that James Anderson and Stuart Broad were the future, but neither were yet ready, so Sidebottom stepped up with a wealth of County experience behind him, and lead England's attack terrifically until the young guns came to maturity.

I would suggest the same tactic with a keeper now, until Buttler is good enough. My candidate - James Foster.

Aged 34, he is still in his prime, and would be an absolute banker behind the stumps (anyone watching Essex's highlights reels will see that). He is captain of his County side and has a background in nurturing young talent, whilst at the same time creating a good environment to play in - something England desperately need. He will also be an older head in a dressing room short of experience - Bell and Anderson are the only current players over 30. If Brad Haddin taught us anything last year, it's that a keeper essentially acts as a second captain - why not choose someone who has been doing that role for years?

There will be the same questions asked of his batting that have kept him down for years: Not enough runs at County level, a technique not good enough for the international game, and any runs he does get are written off under the moniker 'Second Division'. Valid arguments all.

But do England at this stage really need a keeper that will average 40? With a team that will include two if not all of Ben Stokes (Only Hundred in the Ashes), Moen Ali (1375 First Class runs last year) and Chris Jordan (Opened for Surrey), can we not for a short period return to the old way of a 'proper' wicketkeeper? And it is not as if he is a genuine number 11  - he has a First Class average of 37.33, and already has an 80 and a 90 to his name this year.

Maybe his selection would be a backwards step, a pointless short-term solution for a team looking to start a 'new era'. But in his call-up, we would know what to expect. And certainty in a massively uncertain time is a valuable commodity.