Leekbrookgull
Well-known member
Well takes a break,but threw away his wicket yesterday. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/28413373
Like Steven Gerrard, his mind and his body are telling him enough is enough. Prior has made a string of embarrassing mistakes and misjudgements lately and he is getting out before he is pushed.
Injuries aside ( and I accept that its a major factor in his decision ) I have felt that he has been on borrowed time for quite a while. A decent keeper, without being outstanding, he is played primarily for his batting. His strength is playing the wide stuff. He likes to free up his arms and have a full swing of the bat. For a long time bowlers failed to recognise that he didn't like the short, hostile stuff but in the last 2-3 years they have wised up. They all now realise that he doesn't fancy it and its now common practice to go round the wicket, dig it in at his ribs and wait for short-leg to pocket the catch. His bottle went completely in Australia and that should have signalled the end but blind loyalty from the England management ensured that Prior's personal demons continued for a few more months.
I doubt he will get back in the England set-up. His confidence is shot to pieces and he needs time away from the game to rethink his technique. When you turn your back on short-pitched bowling, the end is nigh. The opposition know you are a wicket waiting to fall. Batting at no.6 is vital for England. Tony Greig used to do it and do it well and positively encouraged the quicks. It was a challenge to him. Prior doesn't fancy it and hence is a liability.
This is the first step in England regrouping and it won't be the last.
Like Steven Gerrard, his mind and his body are telling him enough is enough. Prior has made a string of embarrassing mistakes and misjudgements lately and he is getting out before he is pushed.
Injuries aside ( and I accept that its a major factor in his decision ) I have felt that he has been on borrowed time for quite a while. A decent keeper, without being outstanding, he is played primarily for his batting. His strength is playing the wide stuff. He likes to free up his arms and have a full swing of the bat. For a long time bowlers failed to recognise that he didn't like the short, hostile stuff but in the last 2-3 years they have wised up. They all now realise that he doesn't fancy it and its now common practice to go round the wicket, dig it in at his ribs and wait for short-leg to pocket the catch. His bottle went completely in Australia and that should have signalled the end but blind loyalty from the England management ensured that Prior's personal demons continued for a few more months.
I doubt he will get back in the England set-up. His confidence is shot to pieces and he needs time away from the game to rethink his technique. When you turn your back on short-pitched bowling, the end is nigh. The opposition know you are a wicket waiting to fall. Batting at no.6 is vital for England. Tony Greig used to do it and do it well and positively encouraged the quicks. It was a challenge to him. Prior doesn't fancy it and hence is a liability.
This is the first step in England regrouping and it won't be the last.
Like Steven Gerrard, his mind and his body are telling him enough is enough. Prior has made a string of embarrassing mistakes and misjudgements lately and he is getting out before he is pushed.
Injuries aside ( and I accept that its a major factor in his decision ) I have felt that he has been on borrowed time for quite a while. A decent keeper, without being outstanding, he is played primarily for his batting. His strength is playing the wide stuff. He likes to free up his arms and have a full swing of the bat. For a long time bowlers failed to recognise that he didn't like the short, hostile stuff but in the last 2-3 years they have wised up. They all now realise that he doesn't fancy it and its now common practice to go round the wicket, dig it in at his ribs and wait for short-leg to pocket the catch. His bottle went completely in Australia and that should have signalled the end but blind loyalty from the England management ensured that Prior's personal demons continued for a few more months.
I doubt he will get back in the England set-up. His confidence is shot to pieces and he needs time away from the game to rethink his technique. When you turn your back on short-pitched bowling, the end is nigh. The opposition know you are a wicket waiting to fall. Batting at no.6 is vital for England. Tony Greig used to do it and do it well and positively encouraged the quicks. It was a challenge to him. Prior doesn't fancy it and hence is a liability.
This is the first step in England regrouping and it won't be the last.
His not been in great form (but he averages 29 in tests this summer) but I don't think i've seen any sign of his bottle going or being found out. He's just a bit old and a bit injured
His not been in great form (but he averages 29 in tests this summer) but I don't think i've seen any sign of his bottle going or being found out. He's just a bit old and a bit injured
His not been in great form (but he averages 29 in tests this summer) but I don't think i've seen any sign of his bottle going or being found out. He's just a bit old and a bit injured
His not been in great form (but he averages 29 in tests this summer) but I don't think i've seen any sign of his bottle going or being found out. He's just a bit old and a bit injured
Because it's a boys club with certain players in the England side. Cook,Prior,Bell,Broad and Anderson all very close and certain starters every test match. When asked about Prior yesterday by Atherton ,Cook said it was up to Prior if he played!!The pundits were poring over his recent dropped catches and they figured he had a physical problem pushing off from his right leg. It does beg the question why he was being selected if he had an injury that was impairing his performance, all the more baffling that he was in a batting slump giving another reason for him to be dropped.
This is the "behind the scenes" stuff you'd expect the management to be getting right. It seems like a shambles at the moment.
I just hope he has the op and gets back to fitness. I can see him being used as a specialist batsman with Sussex and if he delivers he could come back into contention for England in that regard.
The best player KP should be in the team and he was made the fall guy so Moores could come back. It really stinks in my view.All of those 5 players you've named have won 2 or 3 Ashes series, they've won in India, they've been ranked No. 1 test nation - this means they've forged a closeness and professional respect underpinned by performance under pressure. Yet when this special bond becomes evident they are criticised as being a clique, or it being a "boy's club".
The bottom line is this has nothing to do with Cook's opinion, or Prior's. It is down to the selectors to judge what they think is best for the England team. I don't blame Cook for wanting to stay on as captain - in many ways I admire his doggedness, but it's not his call to make and the management need to create enough distance between themselves and the players to make that clear. In the past few seasons I think maybe the coaches have got too close to the players.