Despite Worcestershire ending the 2007 season sitting pretty atop Pro40 Division One, the England selectors chose to look to Division Two winners and Friends Provident Trophy champions Durham when selecting a replacement wicketkeeper for their one-day side. With Phil ‘Colonel’ Mustard failing to produce the big scores England had hoped for, it might be time to look to county cricket’s other limited-overs star stumper.

During a limited-overs season that saw his side crowned Pro40 champions, 21-year-old Steve Davies averaged 38 with the bat, picking up three 50s along the way and maintaining an average strike rate of nearly a run-a-ball (92.88) His batting was matched by good glove work that saw him take 15 catches and three stumpings.

Davies's age can only be an advantage to England - he is four years Mustard’s junior and five years Matt Prior’s. At 16 years younger than Paul Nixon, Davies could have been this-time-last-year’s England wicketkeeper’s son. Comparing last season’s average with his overall career average (24.65) it is obvious that Davies is both an improving bat and a wicketkeeper on the up.

With the occasional big score not nearly enough to smooth over the endless dropped catches and fluffed stumping chances by the wicketkeepers England have selected for their batting ability, it must be time for the selectors to look towards a glovesman over a batsman. And Davies ticks all the right boxes.

As the MCC’s choice of ‘keeper for the opening match of the 2007 season and earning a call-up to the England Lions last year, Davies must have found his way onto England’s radar. Sadly, injury prevented him from taking up his place on this winter’s Lions tour and as a result he remains untested at international level.

Davies’s impressive performance came in an almost rained-out season – many suspect he could easily have pushed his batting average up over 40 had it not been for the weather’s intervention. Such an average would surely catch England’s eye.