Hampshire finally get their man

By Paul Hiscock

If at first you don’t succeed.....
 
That might have been the adage adopted by Hampshire when they secured the signature of Essex wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Wheater last week. The Ageas Bowl outfit had first been linked with an Essex stumper in 2011 when they reportedly made an audacious bid to spring James Foster from Chelmsford but the former England man decided to stay put.
 
At that time, the 23-year-old Wheater was Foster’s deputy but the continued form and fitness of the Essex captain restricted him to just a couple of games behind the stumps and instead he forced his way into the side as a batsman.
 
It was in that role that he caught the eye of Hampshire when he single-handedly took Essex to the cusp of victory when the teams met at Chelmsford in the County Championship last season.
 
Chasing 360 to win, the home side fell two runs short of their target after Wheater struck 98 from 111 deliveries including four sixes and 12 fours before his was the last wicket to fall.
 
Wheater, who had spent five years and made 50 appearances for Essex, had slipped further down the pecking order because of the advances made by England Lions gloveman Ben Foakes and he was forced to buy his way out of his Essex contract.
 
Essex coach Paul Grayson said: “It is always sad to lose a player you have nurtured from a young age but we understand that to progress his career in his preferred role he will need to change club.”

Chairman Nigel Hilliard added: “This has been a difficult decision. We take great pride in the players developed in our youth system and it is always sad when they leave to progress their careers. However, it is not practical to keep three wicketkeepers  and Adam now has the opportunity to fulfil his potential elsewhere. We wish him well.”

Wheater is the latest player to leave Essex in pursuit of career advancement following the departure at the end of the 2011 season of bowlers Chris Wright and Tony Palladino who both enjoyed a rewarding first campaign with champions Warwickshire and promoted Derbyshire respectively.

Date: 03/03/2013 16:11:51 by Paul Hiscock
In: Today | Hampshire | Essex |