The Spin | Standing up to be counted: Tom Blundell leads brave new brand of wicketkeepers

Canny seamers such as Matt Henry are thriving from the pressure that having a keeper right behind the stumps can apply on battersThey say the best wicketkeeping performance is the one you don’t notice. But that’s not entirely true. Take Tom Blundell’s masterclass at the Oval this past week. Standing up to the stumps against New Zealand’s opening bowler Matt Henry, the Black Caps gloveman was impossible to ignore.Henry’s 11 for 109, and tons from Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls, have been recorded in the scorebooks for posterity, but those who witnessed the lightning-quick hands and immense courage shown by Blundell will know that his contributions were just as integral to the fabric of New Zealand’s 253-run win. Continue reading...