Ben Scott is gunning for an England cap after the best season of his career.
The Crusaders' wicketkeeper has his eye on solving a problem which has been the bane of Geoff Miller and the selectors' lives for longer than they care to remember.
Tim Ambrose, Matt Prior, Phil Mustard, Paul Nixon and Geraint Jones have all been part of a seemingly endless list of wannabes for the spot behind the stumps, and the pivotal number seven spot in the order.
However, one by one their credentials have come under scrutiny, either for a lack of runs or keeping abilities.
Scott, meanwhile, has won the battle to be Middlesex's number one keeper over best friend and Seaxes' stalwart David Nash.
The former Wycombe House boy's wicket-keeping skills have never been in question, but this year a long-awaited glut of runs has raised him up the pecking order for England's poison chalice.
The 27-year-old tops the Middlesex averages with 733 runs at almost 49.
"The England wicketkeeper's job is always up for grabs it seems," said Scott.
"Hopefully I'm now scoring the weight of runs that's been demanded of me for years, and my keeping is up there with the best, so I would hope to be involved with England at Academy level or higher this winter."
Scott was second choice to 'Nashy' at the start of the season, despite finishing the previous campaign strongly when his teammate was out with illness.
Riled by his omission, Scott was determined to seize his chance when Nash was forced out by a hamstring injury.
"I was gutted to be left out at the start of the season, and it gave me something of an 'I'll show you lot' mentality," he said.
"So once I got a chance because David was injured I had to take it. Whereas previously I'd felt Championship batting was just about staying at the crease, I decided I had to play shots and trust my talent, and I got a bit of a flyer in the first six or seven innings.
"Then when the Middlesex selectors said they'd stick with me when David was fit for the game ag ainst Derbyshire at the end of May, that gave me a huge amount of confidence."
Scott knows the Champions League Twenty20 trip to the West Indies in December will provide the perfect platform to stake his claim.
"The exposure of the tournament in Antigua where we will be the only English county in the spotlight will help," he added.
Middlesex face a battle to avoid relegation from Pro40 Division One after their Bank Holiday Monday defeat to Hampshire at Lord's.
The Crusaders looked handily placed at 132-3 after 26 overs chasing 229 to win, with Andrew Strauss and Eoin Morgan going well.
However, the England opener went for 71 as three wickets fell for two runs and, despite a quick-fire 26 from Dawid Malan, the hosts lost by 26 runs to be second from bottom ahead of yesterday's match with Gloucestershire.
Malan had been in form two days earlier, hitting an unbeaten 61 as Middlesex held out for a draw in the County Championship against Leicestershire.
Ed Joyce's first innings 100 helped Middlesex make 367, but the game was taken away from the hosts by a Leicestershire record partnership for any wicket against Middlesex.
Hylton Ackerman and Josh Cobb added 270, beating the 236 by Brian Davison and a certain David Gower at Lord's in 1976 as the visitors ran up 533, forcing the Crusaders to bat out time.
