Matthew Wade

Matthew Wade

Personal information
Full name	Matthew Scott Wade
Born	26 December 1987 (age 24) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Nickname	Wadey
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Batting style	Left-handed
Role	Wicketkeeper
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 428)	7 April 2012 v West Indies
ODI debut	5 February 2012 v India
Last ODI	28 August 2012 v Pakistan
ODI shirt no.	35
T20I debut (cap 52)	13 October 2011 v South Africa
Last T20I	30 March 2012 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2006–2007	Tasmania
2008–	Victoria
2011	Delhi Daredevils
2011–	Melbourne Stars
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	T20I	FC
Matches	3	23	6	52
Runs scored	198	517	132	2,578
Batting average	39.60	23.50	33.00	39.66
100s/50s	1/0	0/4	0/1	4/17
Top score	106	75	72	113*
Balls bowled	–	–	–	–
Wickets	–	–	–	–
Bowling average	–	–	–	–
5 wickets in innings	–	–	–	–
10 wickets in match	–	–	–	–
Best bowling	–	–	–	–
Catches/stumpings	7/1	29/4	4/0	189/6
Source: Cricinfo, 25 April 2012

Matthew Scott Wade (born 26 December 1987) is an Australian cricketer, who is currently listed with the Victorian cricket team. He has also played One-Day International and Twenty20 International matches for the Australian national team. Originally from Hobart, Tasmania, Wade played both cricket and Australian rules football until the age of 19, participating in the 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup as well as playing underage football for the Tassie Mariners in the TAC Cup. After representing Tasmania in one List A match, he moved to Victoria for the 2007–08 season to further his opportunities. He soon established himself as Victoria's first-choice wicket-keeper over Adam Crosthwaite, and was selected in the Australia A side in 2010. He made his debut for Australia the following season. Wade is also contracted to play Twenty20 matches for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).

Early life

Wade was born in Hobart on 26 December 1987, the son of Scott Wade, who had previously played football for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Clarence and Hobart Football Clubs in the Tasmanian Football League (TFL). His grandfather, Michael Wade, had previously served as president of the Hobart Football Club.^[1] Growing up, Wade represented Tasmania in underage cricket and underage football, vice-captaining the Tassie Mariners side in the TAC Cup, where he played alongside future Australian Football League players Sam Lonergan, Grant Birchall and Jack Riewoldt, and representing Australia at the 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. At the age of 16, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and received two rounds of chemotherapy before he was cleared of the disease.^[2]

Domestic career

After representing Tasmania in one List A match, Wade moved to Victoria. Perhaps Wade's best knock and certainly most crucial is the 96 he scored in the Sheffield Shield final (2009–10 season) against the Queensland Bulls, coming in at 5/60, Wade guided his team to a score of 305.^[3] The Victorians ended up winning the final and thus achieving back to back Shield titles, a feat largely due to Wade's heroic efforts on the opening day of that match.
On 9 January 2011, Wade earned an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with the Delhi Daredevils for a sum of $100,000. Later, in IPL 5 he was bought out.^[4]

International career

Following his success in the Ryobi Cup, he was called for the T20s against South Africa in October 2011. However, it was his knock as an opening batsman at Sydney Olympic Stadium in T20I against India in February 2012 which gave him international breakthrough. He smashed 72 from 43 balls, before being bowled by Suresh Raina, to earn the Man of the Match. In the next T20I at MCG, he came at 54/4 (after 8.4 overs), and scored 32 from 29 balls before being run out by Rohit Sharma.
In his One Day International debut, he scored 67 runs off 69 balls against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This effort not only earned him the Man of the Match award, but also led Australia to victory by 65 runs. He cemented his place in the Australian ODI side after the selectors picked him ahead of Brad Haddin in the tri series. It has been a successful move to date. Wade took five catches in the match against India on 19 February 2012 in the Commonwealth Bank Series.^[5]
Wade made his Test debut on 7 April against the West Indies at Barbados. In the third and final Test of the series, Wade made his maiden Test century, scoring 106.

Batting

First-class cricket

Wade has been an important batsman for the Bushrangers in the longer form of the game. He is known for putting a high price on his wicket and is a consistent run-scorer. His discipline when batting is seen as he often leaves deliveries outside his off stump and makes the bowler bowl at him. However, he is not shy to play the cut shot and it only has to be slightly short and wide for him to play what is his favourite shot.

Limited overs cricket

In the shorter forms of the game, Wade becomes a destructive batsman with a broad range of strokes. This is seen in the One Day Domestic competition and the Twenty20 Big Bash, where Wade has showcased his ability to score runs at a frenetic pace by playing both orthrodox and innovative shots. Despite his diminutive stature, Wade can hit the ball as long as most batsmen, often hitting sixes that easily clear the MCG boundary. Success in the lower-middle order has been greeted with a promotion as opener in the 2010–11 Ryobi Cup, which has been beneficial for Wade as his crisp hitting is at its full potential against the new ball and with the fielders up in the circle. Wade enjoys pace on the ball, is strong against the short ball and has the ability to either go over the field or pierce a tight off-side field with elegant cuts and drives.

Wicket keeping

Wade's talents with the bat often overshadow his wicket keeping, but his abilities in this area are highlighted whenever other keeper-batsmen are included in the Victorian team, such as Ryan Carters and Matt Prior. These players play as batsmen only, and Wade is not displaced as wicket keeper. Wade's reliability and his quick reflexes means he has imprssed with stunning catches and leg-side save. He is also able to stand up to the stumps, especially to Andrew McDonald when the conditions suit.

Career best performances

	Batting
	Score	Fixture	Venue	Season
Test	106	Australia v West Indies	Roseau	2012
ODI	67	Australia v India	Melbourne	2012
T20I	72	Australia v India	Sydney	2012
FC	113*	Victoria v Queensland	Melbourne	2011
LA	120	Victoria v Western Australia	Melbourne	2011
T20	80	Australia A v Sri Lanka A	Townsville	2010

References

1. ^ Lane, Tim (2012). Why Wade's big punt is paying off – The Age online. Published 12 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
2. ^ Saltau, Chloe (2012). Wade takes life one giant step at a time – Sydney Morning Herald online. Published 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
3. ^ "ESPN Cricinfo". Retrieved 5 February 2012.
4. ^ "Sify Sports". Retrieved 5 February 2012.
5. ^ http://www.espncricinfo.com/commonwealth-bank-series-2012/engine/match/518962.html
6. ^ Smith, Wayne (26 April 2012). "Matt wades in with century to keep hopes alive". The Australian. Retrieved 26 April 2012.