Wade determined to cement place

Excited to get a break in the Australian one-day team at the expense of an out-of-form Brad Haddin, young wicketkeeper Matthew Wade on Monday said he would aim to make it tough for the selectors to drop him.

“I am really excited to get an opportunity in the one-day format. I’m hoping I can take my chance and run with it,” said the 24-year-old Tasmanian.

“I’m not sure what the selectors have got in mind after these three games but I’ll be doing my best to make it a hard decision to replace me.”

Wade is considered a talented batsman and a brilliant wicketkeeper in the domestic circuit. “I hope the hard work that I’ve put in over the last three or four years can pay off. I’m just really excited to get out there and make my debut.

“My batting is good enough at this level and my keeping is good enough at this level. I’m just looking to improve every year, I’ve been working hard over the last three or four years to improve every bit of my game,” he said.

“Once you get to this level it doesn’t finish there, you’ve got to work hard to make yourself a really dominant player at this level,” Wade said.

If Wade does well, he could get an opportunity in Test cricket as well but the youngster didn’t want to look that far.

“I’m not looking at it as a trial. I’m just looking at it as an opportunity to go out there and do my best. If I look at it as a trial for Test cricket, I’ll be a bit uptight and tense.
“I’m just going out there to play a role for the Australian team. That’s what I’ll be looking to do, whether it be with bat or with the glove,” he said.

“I’m not feeling the pressure at all, I’m just excited that I got the opportunity. It’s everyone’s dream to play for Australia.”