Kevin Pietersen's exit means England need Matt Prior playing cricket, not golf

 
6 June 2012

When he is not playing cricket, Matt Prior likes to throw his clubs in the boot and head for the fairways.

A golf nut, Prior spends as much of his free time as he can trying to improve his handicap of seven but England’s one-day team would be stronger if the wicketkeeper had a bat rather than a seven-iron in his hands during the next five weeks.

Kevin Pietersen’s absence has forced England to reconsider their plans in the 50-over game, yet the question of who should keep wicket is just as interesting. Will Craig Kieswetter, still to convince at the highest level, be given the job? Or will a younger man, Jonny Bairstow, perhaps, or Jos Buttler, be preferred for the three matches against West Indies and five with Australia?

The answer is right in front of the England selectors. Prior performs so consistently with both bat and gloves in Test cricket, where he averages 42 with a strike rate of 65. The Sussex man is predominantly a front-foot player who likes to drive through cover, but he can be effective on both sides of the wicket. His game seems ideal for the shorter forms of the game, which is why his modest record from his 68 one-day internationals is strange.

Whatever the form of cricket, be it Tests, 50 overs, Twenty20 or Sunday afternoons for the Dog And Ferret Third XI, every player needs a clear idea of his role in the team. In one-day cricket for England, Prior has opened the batting 35 times. On seven occasions, he has come in at the fall of the first wicket. He has also batted at No4 (four times), No6 (11 times), No7 (eight times), No8 (twice) and No9 (once).

It is very difficult for any player to establish himself when he is moved about the batting order to such a degree. How can he hope to play naturally when he cannot be sure of the requirements from one series to the next? Take the case of Jonathan Trott, who has performed better than might have been expected in ODIs, averaging 48 from 42 innings. Trott has batted at No3 in all but three of those, which means he is always clear about how he is expected to perform.

Prior has opened for Sussex in domestic one-day cricket but his success at international level has come in the middle order, so that is where he should be deployed. Give him the freedom to play as he does in Test matches. If England lose wickets early and Prior has to bat during the power-play overs, his power and timing will bring boundaries. If he is at the crease during the middle or at the end of an innings, Prior’s assertive approach can ensure momentum is not lost. Privately, Prior is believed to have accepted that his spell as an international limited-overs player has gone, but there is still time for a rethink.

His detractors will point to an unspectacular batting of average of 24, as well as his age — Prior will be 33 during the 2015 World Cup — as proof that England are right to look elsewhere.

Yet who would England’s opponents rather face in 50-over cricket? Kieswetter? One of the other contenders? Or Prior, an established, high-class international player?

If Prior were given a spot at No5 or No6 and an extended chance to prove himself, he has the skill to repay England. And to defend himself against accusations that he is too old, Prior could point to Adam Gilchrist and Kumar Sangakkara. Gilchrist was 35 when he scored a match-winning century in the 2007 World Cup Final, while a 33-year-old Sangakkara led Sri Lanka to the final of last year’s competition.

Prior is realistic enough to know a recall is unlikely.

The demands of wicketkeeping are such that playing in only one form of cricket is exhausting enough. Yet it is a shame to think that when England and West Indies open the NatWest Series on June 16, their best keeper-batsman is more likely to be at Sunningdale than Southampton.

Holland show how it’s done

As Holland prepare for Euro 2012, they could do worse than follow the example of their cricket team.

The Dutch are a revelation in this summer’s domestic 40-over competition, winning five of their seven matches to move six points clear at the top of their group, in which their closest challengers are Middlesex.

During a summer of international football, Test match cricket and the 2012 Olympic Games, it might be tricky for the CB40 to attract attention. With their thrilling performances, Holland are trying to change all that.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT