Vaughan: Bairstow not nearly good enough

Cricket365
November 14, 2013

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has dished out a harsh evaluation of Jonny Bairstow's wicketkeeping skills, saying the young Yorkshireman is not even one of the top five glovemen in the country.

Bairstow is in line to play in the first Ashes Test as keeper as well as batsman, if first-choice Matt Prior is unavailable due to his calf injury. But Vaughan is holding thumbs for Prior to play, saying Bairstow will crumble under the pressure.

Vaughan told the BBC: "Jonny Bairstow will be fine batting at number seven but I would worry immensely if he has to keep in a Test match.

"It is crucial for England that Matt Prior does play, as much for his skills as a world-class all-rounder as for his leadership and influence in the dressing room.

"He is the one England player who does not really have a ready-made replacement in the squad, given Jonny Bairstow's relative inexperience as a keeper.

"Bairstow's involvement as a specialist batsman in the England set-up has limited his appearances for Yorkshire and he remains something of a work in progress behind the stumps.

"He has the perfect tutor in England wicketkeeping coach Bruce French, but for him to keep wicket in an Ashes Test with such a small amount of experience would be a big ask.

"I wouldn't put him in the top five keepers in England. I questioned it as soon as the squad was selected. I just don't think he's done enough of it to withstand the pressure of an Ashes series keeping wicket."