Cricket: Young under scrutiny at the Gabba

Reece Young says batting down the order is a 'new experience', and he could cement his place at the wicket. Photo / Getty Images

Three wicketkeepers vie for the honour of being New Zealand's best - Ian Smith, Adam Parore and Brendon McCullum.

The pick of the trio? Your choice.

Smith took 168 catches and eight stumpings in his 63 tests from 1980-92; Parore took over and snared 194 catches and seven stumpings from 67 matches in which he was the designated wicketkeeper (he played 11 tests as a specialist batsman); and McCullum's numbers were 161/11 from 51 tests before giving up the big gloves in the five-dayers.

All three were present at the Gabba yesterday - one on speaking engagements, one doing TV commentary, the other out on the park alongside him - when Reece Young began what will be the biggest examination of his brief international career against Australia over the next two weeks.

Young was a late riser to the international game. He got his chance last season, and by a nice touch of symmetry his debut, against Pakistan in Hamilton, was his 100th first-class game.

It had been a long time coming for the 32-year-old, who made his first-class debut for Auckland against Canterbury in the 1998-99 season.

There has been an upside to that wait for Young.

"It's still early days in terms of international cricket but I've got 100-odd first-class games under my belt," he said. "It was a good starting point to know I'd got a lot of good cricket behind me and wasn't searching for things, if they did or didn't go well.

"I'm not picking at my technique. I know what works and basically go out and work on my mental game as opposed to my skill game."

Young is a highly capable batsman, having done his time as a specialist at Auckland, where he also shared keeping responsibilities with present captain and former international Gareth Hopkins, before shifting to Canterbury.

He has scored six first-class centuries and averages a useful 31. His test average going into the first test is 36, albeit after only three matches.

Once McCullum had passed on the test gloves, and Hopkins didn't fully convince in India late last year, Young got his chance when Pakistan came calling at the start of the year.

"In the first couple of tests I was still finding my feet. Obviously it was a nervous time after playing that much first-class cricket. I enjoyed it, but felt I was still feeling my way."

Things moved up a step in Zimbabwe a few weeks ago. Not only did Young get rapid, confidence-boosting runs in the second innings to help set up a winning declaration in the only test at Bulawayo, but he grabbed his best international catch to date.

It was a one-handed catch low to his right to dismiss Regis Chakabva off fast-medium Doug Bracewell on the final afternoon which helped propel New Zealand to their 34-run victory.

It was a sharp catch at any stage of the day, "but the main thing for me was it was the fifth day, in the third session and I was able to pull it off".

Which is to say his mental processes were still alert at the fag end of a hot, sweaty slog.

Young had a quiet off season, staying home with his young family, going six months without a game.

"I had a few areas I wanted to work on, fitness, strength and skills, so it was a good opportunity to refresh, recharge the batteries and spend a bit of time with my family."

His mentor is former Auckland wicketkeeper Jason Mills, who played 27 first-class and 30 one-day games through the 1990s.

"It's just about bouncing ideas. He may see something on TV and say, 'Mate, you're doing this or not doing that well.' It's about getting those little things right."

Batting at No 7, 8 or 9 is a new experience "but it's about summing up the situation and working with the tail".

Young has the chance to nail down the job at the start of a busy period for the New Zealand team. After Australia, there are four more tests at home, against Zimbabwe and South Africa. Then follow tours to the West Indies, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa.

Young could clock up a pile of air miles. It's his time, if he's good enough to grab his chance.