Matt Prior- Great?

I really used to despise Prior in his first incarnation, but he worked hard, learned to catch, and became a very good cricketer. Not great yet, but the next couple of years could prove decisive.

The only other two cricketers I took such an instant dislike to were Flintoff and Chris Schofield. Two out of three have proved me wrong, think its a bit late for Schofield though unless non-spinning half trackers suddenly become fashionable again.

Flintoff became a good cricketer, but remained an absolute tool

Non spinning half trackers? Isn't that what all England's seamers are required to bowl these days?

If he plays until he's 40, I'll concede he's pretty great.

On that note, f**k me, Alec Stewart is 50 this year.

Yeah that's quite amazing given it doesn't really seem that long since he was playing! I can just about accept the first generation of England players I watched, Gooch, Gower, Botham etc. being in their 50s as their careers do seem a long time ago but Stewart still feels like someone in the "fairly recently retired" category.

In fact Gooch is 60 this year, that perhaps is equally hard to believe!

10 years. And Gooch finished when, tests in '95?

time. Cricket makes me notice it goes SUPER fast.

Jimmy Anderson, 31 this year? Ridiculous. Coming up for a 10 year international career.

Prior too. He used to be cute and have hair.

Mental.

Jimmy's JAMODI debut was in December 2002, so he's already managed the decade in international cricket!

I'm an old old haggard raggedy old qunt.

beamer wrote:Jimmy's JAMODI debut was in December 2002, so he's already managed the decade in international cricket!

Of course! forgot he was that much of a baby. Tried to forget a lot of that winter, obvs.

English longevity is a novelty, for me anyway.

Is Matt Prior Great? The jury is out. Of all the keepers who have played for England since I've been watching the game, he is the best batsman - no question. Is he the best keeper? - Don't think so, not yet. Knott and Taylor were better.

Brass Monkey wrote:I'm an old old haggard raggedy old qunt.

Out yourself on another thread won't you.

This is a tribute thread to Supermatt Prior.

Basil wrote:Is Matt Prior Great? The jury is out. Of all the keepers who have played for England since I've been watching the game, he is the best batsman - no question. Is he the best keeper? - Don't think so, not yet. Knott and Taylor were better.

I'm not sure he is the best batsmen yet. He probably will be at the end of his career... but Alec Stewart faced down Walsh and Ambrose in their pomp in the West Indies and scored big runs against Donald, Waqar, Wasim, etc. There's a difference between doing it at 7 and being the opener or number 4.

But did Stewy's best knocks come when he was keeping? Or playing as a batsman only?

Henry wrote:But did Stewy's best knocks come when he was keeping? Or playing as a batsman only?

True, it was especially the first couple of years (1991-93) that Stewart struggled to juggle the two roles. From 1995 in his last 68 matches as keeper he scored nearly 4000 Test runs at an average of 38 (and remember the standard of bowling was higher and the quality of the England team much lower in those days).

In these years he regularly scored 50's, made 5 centuries, including an innings of 164 (317 balls) to save the Old Trafford Test against Cronje's strong Saffer team. Damn good player.

Aye, top notch player. I always felt his best role was partnering Athers at the top of the order (and statistics back that up) with Jack Russell taking the gloves. As it was he still had an excellent career, despite batting everywhere from 1-7 in the order, both with and without the gloves in each position.

Basil wrote:Is Matt Prior Great? The jury is out. Of all the keepers who have played for England since I've been watching the game, he is the best batsman - no question. Is he the best keeper? - Don't think so, not yet. Knott and Taylor were better.

And Russell.

godfrey evans

Not sure that Basil was around to see Evans

There's no doubting that there are numerous KEEPERS who are better than Prior, but as a keeper-BATSMAN, he has few rivals. Only Stewart that I can think of.

stewart I think was a better bat tho he was thrown under the bus by having to open at different times...at best he was adequate with the gloves which is what Prior is now.

I'd say Prior is above adequate. I read in the Guardian that his dropping of Amla in the 2nd(?) Test was his first in two years - which is pretty good considering the amount of Test cricket England would've played in that time.

Paul Keating wrote:

Basil wrote:Is Matt Prior Great? The jury is out. Of all the keepers who have played for England since I've been watching the game, he is the best batsman - no question. Is he the best keeper? - Don't think so, not yet. Knott and Taylor were better.

And Russell.

Personally, I think there's clear daylight between Knott and Taylor, and Russell.

bump

horace wrote:no doubt Prior has become an excellent batsman keeper...

it is interesting when both Haddin and Prior started off their batting was ok and their keeping ordinairy - I thought they were  level

But Prior has improved his batting and he is now reliable keeper - Haddin became Haddit as his keeping particularly on his left side deteriorated and his batting declined from a reasonable start

It's not always Trev's fault.

G.Wood wrote:Thank fark for this thread.  Now all we need is for Trev to start the following threads
Cook - Great? - poor series
Trott - Great? - gone
Jimmy - Great? - average series

and we may have a chance of not being totally humiliated

well bumped thread embee...I think Trev has proved Australian cricket's greatest asset