Quick Singles

So just as I was praising the the consistent selection policies of the England team they go and pull a fast one on us; Matt Prior has been selected ahead of Steve Davies for the upcoming World Cup. England of course have form with wicket keepers, just before the Twenty20 World Cup Matt Prior himself lost out to Craig Kieswetter and that turned out pretty well. Lets not forget that over the last two years England have only been consistent in their inconsistency when it comes to keeper selection. The constant fiddling with the wicket keeper position is worrying, in the field the keeper is motor on which the team runs and to be constantly changing such a key element is somewhat reckless.

The cricketing reasons for Matt Prior’s selection are sound, he’s now developed into a very fine keeper and his batting has developed to the point that in test cricket he could easily be selected as a batsman alone. Prior has put a great deal of effort into all elements of his game and he’s put his selection beyond debate, however this would seem to be difficult to translate into limited overs form. Prior’s one day average of just 25 speaks for itself, his limited overs batting is inconsistent and without a hundred, unfortunately it doesn’t get much better in domestic one day games where is he’s got a average a shade under 28. Statistically it would appear to make no sense but if you watch Matt Prior batting and keeping you know he should be a good one day player.

The selectors have decided to trust their cricketing instinct over hard statistical analysis, as a cricket fan I both respect and fear the consequences of that. However with Davies looking decidedly shaky during his limited appearances in Australia perhaps this is for the best decision for everyone, plus we get to see that beard gain.

Did Matt Prior forget is razor and is just too manly to get out of the cricket tour bubble and buy one or is he just awesome?

He’s clearly been working on it over the last 12 months, here is his official Team England profile picture.

Good work Prior, named Hirsute Cricketer 2010 by the Beard Liberation Front. It’s clearly been helping with his keeping and batting as his maiden Ashes hundred shows.

The selection of English wicket keepers especially in restricted overs games is notoriously fickle; in the last 18 months alone 5 different individuals have been selected as keeper (Prior, Kieswetter, Foster, Davies and a 1 match cameo from Eoin Morgan). This kind of swing from the hip selection policy is often blamed for the squandering of batting talents such as Graham Hick and Mark Ramprakash and the latest victim appears to be Craig Kieswetter. 

Kieswetter was never going to be the best keeper to grace England’s starting XI but we knew that when he was selected in the first place, and I don’t doubt the logic behind the selection the World Cup final century speaks for itself. It was the right call then so why is it not the right call now? Kiewetter’s form with the bat against Australia and particularly painfully against Bangladesh was poor and his confidence shot. However he has gone back to County cricket and averaged nearly 50 in the 40 over competition. Surely as the man in possession he deserves another shot?

Enter Steve Davies another powerful opening batsman who unlike Kieswetter has excellent skills with the gloves. His domestic record is excellent this season he averages 60 in 40 over cricket this season and arguably given the selection of Kieswetter was unlucky to miss out on the T20 World Cup. England have flirted with Davies’ selection giving him a solitary one day international and twenty20 plus regular England Lions appearances. Now though the selectors seem ready to take the plunge; this is Davies’ chance to show that his promise and superb domestic record can translate to international cricket with an eye as always on Matt Prior’s test berth.

But what of Matt Prior? In the past test series Prior was quite clearly England’s second best batsman with his match winning innings at Trent Bridge and face saving knock at the Oval Prior played fluid counter attacking innings, scoring freely but yet stout in defence. At face value this would be the perfect series for Prior to assert himself in the one day team an England team without Bell or Pietersen makes the middle order look increasingly weak. However Prior’s superb test summer was built upon plenty of county cricket, it is probably wise not to over cook Prior by putting pressure on him to perform in one day internationals when the priority has to be the Ashes, and he’s a nailed on certainty for that particular engagement.

What is clear however is that in Prior, Davies and Kieswetter we have three high class wicket keeper-batsman who could arguably be selected on batting expertise alone and who ever wears the gloves is clearly capable. England must now go about formulating a plan for the coming fifty over World Cup and with limited one day games (12 in 2 series to be exact) before it all kicks off, it’s vital they get to settled team sooner rather than later. Davies selection is highly significant and baring complete failure against Pakistan he surely will play a significant part in that plan, which may mean that Kieswetter will now seen as something of a one hit wonder, but what hit it was!

I’m fairly certain that it has been inferred over the last few months that Matt Prior’s batting is not really good enough for England’s T20 and ODI teams and that we need to hire in a mercenary South African to cover for our inadequacies in this area.

Could someone explain this please:

Prior hit 117 in 55 balls, his county’s Twenty20 best as Sussex piled up their best score in the competition

via BBC Sport

And it’s not as if the Glamorgan bowling attack was lacking, Shaun Tait was the standout.

For me Matt Prior has not been given a proper go as England ‘pinch hitter’ so watch out Kiewetter your position is by no means safe.