Getting an unexpected international cricket call-up is a bittersweet experience for NSW wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, following the return home of his state and club teammate Brad Haddin.
Haddin flew home less than a week into the tour on Thursday for personal reasons.
Nevill will serve as Matthew Wade’s understudy, meaning the Victorian keeper is almost certain to make his Test debut against the West Indies next month.
If Wade, who has already usurped Haddin as the one-day and Twenty20 international wicketkeeper in recent months, does play in the Test series and performs well, it could well spell the end of Haddin’s international career.
The 43-Test veteran has averaged just 23.46 with the bat in his past 11 Tests, making just two 50s in 17 innings and scoring three ducks.
Chief selector John Inverarity said he hoped Haddin would be able to rejoin the tour as soon as possible, with Nevill expected to fly out of Sydney on Sunday.
“Peter has just completed an outstanding season with New South Wales, both with the gloves and the bat,” Inverarity said.
Nevill was the Blues’ leading run-scorer in first-class cricket this season, tallying 570 runs and his average of 51.81 was the highest of any NSW player who made more than one appearance.
The news of his call-up created mixed emotions for Nevill, who is a clubmate of Haddin’s at Sydney grade side Eastern Suburbs, as well as a state squad colleague.
“Obviously, it’s a call that does get you feeling pretty good about your cricket, when the Australian set-up wants you to be involved, so in that sense it was a nice call to receive,” Nevill told reporters at the SCG on Friday.
“But in the same breath, not knowing what’s happened to Brad, it’s also a little bit sombre as well.
“He has just done so much for me in a coaching capacity.
“He has got a wealth of knowledge that he’s been kind enough to share with me.”
Nevill wasn’t getting too excited about the possibility of playing in the West Indies.
“Obviously, Matthew (Wade) has sort of entrenched his spot quite well in the one-day side,” Nevill said.
“If I got the opportunity to play, obviously that would be a dream come true, but I’m pretty realistic about what my role is going to be over there,” Nevill said.
Wade’s emergence as the keeper of choice for Victoria prompted Nevill to seek an interstate move a few years back in a bid to boost his own career.
“The unfortunate realisation was that there was no opportunity for me in Victoria at the time and it was a difficult decision, but one I felt I had to make and it has certainly paid off quite well,” Nevill said.
“I was in Victoria about four years ago, not even on the (Australian selectors) radar, so it’s taken a lot of hard work, to develop my cricket to the point where national selectors take an interest in you.”
