LONDON, (Reuters) – Feisty, positive and quietly efficient, Matt Prior was one of England’s finest wicketkeeper batsmen in seven years behind the stumps during which he helped his country to three Ashes victories.
He made a century on his debut against the West Indies in 2007 and played 79 test matches, averaging 40.18, behind only Australian Adam Gilchrist, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Zimbabwean Andy Flower among wicketkeepers.
That he should be mentioned alongside such eminent players is a tribute to the contribution of the South African-born right-hander who through sheer hard work made himself into an outstanding gloveman.
Prior, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday at the age of 33, was a key member of the England team who won the Ashes in 2009, 2010-11 and 2013.
A prickly character, he usually scored his runs quickly and was particularly strong square of the wicket.
But he could also play more defensively when the situation demanded as showed by batting for nearly five hours to score a hundred and save a series in New Zealand in 2013.
Prior’s form deserted him and he endured a miserable Ashes tour of Australia in 2013-14 during which he was dropped as England suffered a 5-0 mauling.
Controversy flared in the fallout from that series and Prior was at the heart of it, described mockingly as the “big cheese” by his team mate Kevin Pietersen who accused him of being “the schoolyard bully who is also the teacher’s pet.”
Prior has not played for England since last July due to serious injury problems but his retirement, following those of Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott, signals the end for another player who was an integral member of a successful team. Ironically, however, the announcement came at the end of a week in which Jos Buttler has proved himself to be a worthy successor as England wicketkeeper.
