Australia v South Africa 3rd Test: Matthew Wade recalled as hosts look for hard edge, mongrel

THE promotion of Matthew Wade at the expense of classy wicket-keeper Peter Nevill represents the most stunning backflip in a new-look Australian squad.

Matthew Wade is back after almost four years out of the Test scene.

MATTHEW Wade has been anointed the man to bring mongrel back to Australian cricket, even though his niggling techniques have been panned by South Africans as “embarrassing” and “totally ineffective.”

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The dumping of classy wicket-keeper Peter Nevill to recall Wade represents the most stunning backflip in this new-look Australian squad.

Three-and-a-half years ago in the wake of Homeworkgate Wade was one of the first to go under the bus, but now at the height of another crisis he has been welcomed back with open arms as a key man.

Interim National Selector Trevor Hohns insists Wade has made significant improvements to the questionable keeping skills that have cost him since he was first sacked in mid-2013, and with two Test hundreds under his belt, his batting is seen as a crucial ingredient for a top order crying out for a backbone – even though his Shield average this season is the second lowest in the land at just 28.

Victorians Matthew Wade and Peter Handscomb have got the Aussie Test call.

However, Hohns’ admission that Wade has been picked as much for his gnarly demeanour as anything else is telling proof that Australia feels it has lost its iconic hard edge.

“That’s fair comment, he’s obviously seen as a tough competitor and that is what we’re looking for in our players now,” said Hohns, when asked about Wade’s mongrel.

“We want them to get out there now and have a fair crack at this and go forward with that.

“We don’t expect an immediate turnaround, but we’ve got a bit of faith in these guys now.”

There have been criticisms that Nevill was too quiet as a keeper, and that he couldn’t keep the flame going in the field like Brad Haddin before him.

There’s no doubt that Wade likes to assert himself as a prickly presence on the field, but the jury is out on whether he has the right kind of mongrel.

Matthew Wade is back after almost four years out of the Test scene.

South African great Keppler Wessels described Australia’s sledging tactics in the recent ODI series where they were smashed 5-0 as “mindless babble” and it’s understood he was chiefly talking about Wade.

According to Wessels, the Proteas might welcome Wade’s selection as added motivation.

“There was a time when Australian teams used sledging cleverly as a strategy,” Wessels wrote in a column.

“The mindless babble that this group have resorted to is both embarrassing and totally ineffective.

“There is just something very wrong with the fact that players who average 25 are trying to intimidate proven campaigners on the international stage.

“The only thing the Aussies have managed to do in this series by their attempts at intimidation is to motivate the Proteas into playing better.

Matthew Wade has got two Test centuries but is struggling for runs so far this season.

“Strong leadership would have realised that early on, and controlled the situation.”

Hohns admitted that Nevill was desperately unlucky – a victim of Australia’s chronic batting collapses and his own failure, albeit in consistently difficult circumstances, to make a big score since coming into the team.

“Very unlucky, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“But we consider Matthew Wade’s wicket-keeping has improved to the extent that we’ve gone in that direction. There’s no secret Matthew Wade’s batting is very, very good, in fact he’s scored hundreds in Test cricket.”