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Matt Prior steps down.





Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,276
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.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Mar 27, 2013
52,006
Burgess Hill
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.

Excellent summary. Hope Matty gets himself fit and has a few more years with Sussex (possibly playing as a batsman like he has in T20s, keeping must be a nightmare on the achilles) as I think he's still capable of caning a county attack. Best England Wkt/bat we've had for along time but probably time to look forward.
 


Lifelong Supporter

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2009
2,045
Burgess Hill
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.

Prior bats 7 and not 6. He was England player of the year coming into the 2013 season and then had a bad time against Australia, as did most. He has not been fit this year. Fingers crossed for his recovery.
 


One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Aug 4, 2006
21,482
Worthing
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.

Although accurate, a little harsh in not considering what he has been playing with, his footwork has been hampered due to ongoing injuries and until the Ashes last year, he had seldom been troubled at a test level. Cricketer of the Year etc...

His keeping although poor in Australia, wasn't that dreadful here (I think one missed stumping) and I will be interested to see if his replacement actually does any better. I've a hunch Prior was persuaded to play through the pain as there is little faith in what is coming through.
 




The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
Matt Prior could just field for Sussex rather than wicket keeping as I was a club wicket keeper and I am about to have an op fusing my ankle due to Footie and cricket injuries and arthritis in my hands anyone who has wicket kept knows the pain you go through. well done Matt should have hit that last ball for six. I must contact the club going to have to change my seat for three months as I won't be able to climb the stairs to the WSU. Maybe we will see Matt as a guest of the club in the next couple of weeks.a great cricketer loved it when his bat went through the window at Lords shows passion.
 


big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,859
Hove
Hopefully it's not the end of Matt Prior although I fear it will be for England at least. It seemed to all go down hill quickly after his great innings to save a test in Wellington and was voted England's player of the year. Since then he more than most has suffered and that is saying something as a great England team has disintegrated in incredibly quick time. To lose Strauss, Trott, Pietersen, Prior & Swann so quickly would unsettle any team and we are paying the price now with inconsistent performances.

By and large the new younger players have played well unencumbered by the mental scarring of the last Ashes tour, so Joss Butler seems an obvious pick but I would go against the grain and pick Nottinghamshire captain Chris Read, who along with James Foster is the best gloveman in English cricket.

We need a new keeper, but with our deep batting lineup I do believe we need to pick the best wicketkeeper out there and Read fits the bill, his batting is by no means poor and he could comfortably average 25/30 in test cricket which is enough if he saves the side 20 or 30 per innings behind the stumps. He also increases our propensity to take twenty wickets with his catching and stumping ability.

And most importantly his been an excellent captain of Notts and would bring some much needed experience of captaincy to the England side.

Over recent years England players do not get the chance to captain their county mainly because central contracts dictate they are unavailable for a large proportion of the season, therefore you need to look outside the inner sanctum of the dressing room.

Read ticks a lot of boxes for me great wicket keeper & captain and competent bat he would add an awful lot to this England team.
 






keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
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
 
















Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
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.
 


bhafc1972

Banned
Jun 2, 2014
180
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.
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!!
 


Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
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.
 


bhafc1972

Banned
Jun 2, 2014
180
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.
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.
 




Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
Who really knows what went on behind the scenes? In terms of being able to make a contribution if it was a straight choice between Cook or Pietersen you'd choose Cook every time based on him having 5 years more shelf-life and being a better team person. It is just disappointing that there had to be a choice in the first place because England really need both of them.

Hypothetically, if Pietersen were still in the side and none of this falling out had have happened you'd simply drop Cook and replace him with Bell, then have a top order of Bell, Robson, Balance, Pietersen, Root and Ali.

I'm really not feeling that the Moores / Downton thing is working.
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,379
England have called up Jos Butler, who has not been keeping full-time for long, rather than James Foster who is recognised as the best keeper in the country, and a talented, experienced batsman.

Foster may be 34 now, but has a good two or three years left in him at the highest level. I would have thought Butler would have been a good understudy for the winter tours.

This also against the backdrop of being 1-0 down in a series with two to play.

I would be interested to here Peter Moores take on this, knowing this is the one position he should know most about.
 



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