Lewis McManus

Lewis McManus took over the gloves from Adam Wheater for Hampshire in 2016, a decision that contributed to Wheater's move to Essex at the end of the season. McManus' 132 against Surrey in a high-scoring match at the Ageas Bowl - his maiden Championship hundred which came after he ran out Sean Ervine early in his innings - encouraged Hampshire to put their trust in him as well as persuading Wheater to return from whence he came.

McManus is a busy wicketkeeper-batsman from Bournemouth who developed through Hampshire's academy. He was part of the county's Under-17 side that won the 50-over cup in 2011 and performed strongly for Hampshire Academy in the Southern Premier League. An average of 36 in second XI cricket earned him a call-up for the England Under-19s in February 2014 where he was named in the World Cup squad.

He impressed with both the bat and behind the stumps during two first-team appearances for Hampshire in 2015. Under immense pressure from a rampant Durham bowling attack, his plucky maiden Championship half-century saw Hampshire through to what proved to be a vital draw in a season where they stayed up on the last day.

He spoke ahead of the 2018 season about his ambitions to become the best keeper-batsman in the country but had a mediocre campaign and, short of runs, found himself in the 2nd XI. He struggled for runs again the following season, aside from a couple of late-innings cameos in the T20 Blast, though his glovework was much-improved as he reaped the rewards of working alongside Michael Bates.

ESPNcricinfo staff