Matt Prior

[Perry Milkins]

At the advocation of the devil...

Is it not about time that Matthew realises that he is not going to be a test great and plumps for being a great county player?

 

[itszamora]

Has a test average of 40+ still, I wouldn't write him off just yet. Clearly not going to be a great but can be a decent enough wicketkeeper-batsman I think.

 

[CHAPPERS]

He shouldn't be made to open in the one day game, at any level, imo.

 

[the viscount]

He shouldn't be made to open in the one day game, at any level, imo.

quite agree

 

[Djmiles]

Wasn't he dropped because of his keeping, as opposed to his average? He's shown enough so far to prove he's improved, so will be interesting to see how he does.

 

[Percy Flage]

Why ask the question now when I don't believe he has played in a test match for about a year?
Hopefully he will get another chance on this tour but I think the question will be has his keeping improved.
His batting is certainly test level on evidence so far.

 

[vegster]

At the advocation of the devil...

Is it not about time that Matthew realises that he is not going to be a test great and plumps for being a great county player?

Er, If picked, who would turn down the opportunity ? Its down to the selectors to decide, rightly or wrongly his Test career. Remember how the selectors persevered with Ramps for ages even though he never made more than 30 in about 24 innings ?..... an eventually dropped him.. he never said " I don't think I'm good enough, don't pick me "

Matt is a good batsman and may become a great one yet

 

[dougdeep]

If he gets cramp every time he reaches 30 runs, we might as well play a better keeper instead.

 

[Taybha]

He is just in the scheme of things the best of a bad bunch at the mo,i heard alec stewart say today that basicly he isnt doing what he is there for so its time to go,and thats from the guy who pretty much spent a year with matt working on his keeping.

 

[Don Tmatter]

If he bats at 7 in the test team, he'll be ok

 

[Timbo]

I always thought Matt would be superb in one dayers but to be honest he's been nothing but a disappointment. Maybe Bopara should move up the order or give Wright a chance. At least they MIGHT get a decent score at a decent pace. Matt unfortunately won't.

 

[Timbo]

If he bats at 7 in the test team, he'll be ok

Yep. Not a one day opener though.

 

[Uncle Buck]

If he gets cramp every time he reaches 30 runs, we might as well play a better keeper instead.

So Mr Cricket Expert, who would that be?

You continually come to cricket threads saying that so and so should be dropped, or the youngsters should be brought through, but every time you are unable to offer an alternative player or players, so the floor is open to you, please do enlighten us.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Somebody needs to put a arm round Matty, and tell him that he is there for the long haul. Because when he is on 30 or 40 he seems to just go into shell.

 

[Taybha]

Somebody needs to put a arm round Matty, and tell him that he is there for the long haul. Because when he is on 30 or 40 he seems to just go into shell.

You mean he gets out?

 

[keaton]

He's not an opener but compared to the rest of the team he's not doing badly and his keeping's fine. He had a very good series against the S Africans. I'd say Bopora, Collingwood and Anderson's places are the most at risk

 

[Brovion]

He's not an opener but compared to the rest of the team he's not doing badly and his keeping's fine. He had a very good series against the S Africans. I'd say Bopora, Collingwood and Anderson's places are the most at risk

I agree. OK, Prior's no Gillespie but he's a good one-day keeper and a good one-day batsman, and probably the best we've got at present. You could say that the for Test team you pick the best keeper regardless of their batting ability but that's another argument (and given the frailty of England's batting that debate will go on for a while as well).

Trouble is, if he doesn't open where do you play him? Down the order you need the big hitters and quick scorers. Opener is probably his best position; I could be a bit perverse and suggest that him getting to 30 and then getting out isn't actually a bad tactic.

 

[CHAPPERS]

. Opener is probably his best position; I could be a bit perverse and suggest that him getting to 30 and then getting out isn't actually a bad tactic.

I would suggest that when chasing a score as big as we have had to do in the last two matches getting to 30 odd in 50 odd balls is not good enough, then again it's not like anyone else has really been able to take to the bolwesr at the top of the order.

 

[Perry Milkins]

I agree. OK, Prior's no Gillespie

Blimey...so you want him to look like Jesus and open the bowling as well?

 

[Brovion]

Blimey...so you want him to look like Jesus and open the bowling as well?

Yes, good spot I meant Gilchrist.