Adam Wheater developed through the Essex academy and Millfield School into an impressive wicketkeeper-batsman. He represented England Under-19s and found a place in Essex's Championship side in 2011, averaging 42 including 164 against Northants, but quickly found his development blocked by James Foster and bought himself out of his contract at Essex to move to Hampshire for the 2013 season.

Wheater had caught Hampshire's attention in July 2012 when he made 98 off 111 balls to very nearly pull off a chase of 360 for Essex at Chelmsford in the Championship. A year later and he was playing for Hampshire and made three first-class centuries in his first season. But Wheater's glovework came under much scrutiny because of Michael Bates - one of the most talented wicketkeepers in the country - and he ended the season playing only as a batsman.

The trend continued for a while in 2014 but Bates couldn't take his chance with the bat, despite improvement, and Wheater eventually took over behind the stumps. He contributed 610 runs at 32.10 to Hampshire's promotion-winning campaign and he also made his maiden List A century from just 76 balls on his way to 135 - ironically against Essex at Chelmsford.

Wheater's problematic wicketkeeping career again came to the fore, though, in 2016 when he relinquished the gloves to Lewis McManus with Hampshire indicating that they expected a bigger runs return from him - a task he duly delivered by averaging 47. But he returned to Essex on loan and, after they won promotion, chose to stay with them for good. Foster, who had just accepted a new two-year contract, at 36, still stood in his way.

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