Duckett and Rossington offer the best of both worlds

Both Ben Duckett and Adam Rossington have performed the role in recent weeks with the other playing solely as a batsman.

The pair each offer a solid, if unspectacular, choice behind the stumps in addition to their ability to fill one of the middle order spaces in the batting order.

And it is the duality of both Duckett and Rossington that Ripley feels will benefit the side next season, even if he won’t be drawn on who he considers to be first choice.

He said: “To have two keeper-batsmen of their standard means we can decide who keeps depending on the cricket we’re playing or the workload of the individual.

“When not keeping, both Ben and Adam have shown that they can slot into the middle order and that means it’s not a straight choice between the two.

“Both have scored centuries this season and both have kept wicket well.

“When Adam’s done the job he’s been tidy and Ben has also shown he has plenty of ability there.

“It’s been hard for him at times, especially in the spell when we were conceding 500 every week, but he’ll learn from that.”

While Duckett is contracted to the County, Rossington is only on loan from Middlesex until the end of the campaign althougn it is expected that he will join on a permanent basis in the near future.

Where this leaves David Murphy is open to question.

He has one year left on his contract but in these days of limited squad numbers, it is unlikely that the County can afford to carry three wicketkeepers on their books.