Prior aims to keep hold of the gloves
England keeper says he has earned the right as selectors cannot pick another player
London: England keeper will demand answers if he loses one-day role to Kieswetter By Derek Pringle in Chittagong
With the series secured, England's selectors might be tempted to hand Craig Kieswetter the gloves for today's final one-day international against Bangladesh in Chittagong. If they do, Matt Prior will demand an explanation.
"To play in an England team is an honour and if they want me to play just as a batter I will and I am confident I will do a good job," Prior said. "But I've worked hard at my keeping and I am keeping well, so I'd like a reason if the gloves are taken off me.
"If a batsman is scoring runs or a bowler is taking wickets, they wouldn't expect to be dropped. A keeper is no different."
His keeping has improved but that misses the main point. It is not his glovework that is under scrutiny, but his batting, particularly his ability to see England home in just the situation he and Eoin Morgan found themselves in on Tuesday.
Morgan, who was awarded an incremental contract on Wednesday, was quite brilliant in marshalling England's victory in Dhaka. Prior played his part too, with 42 off 58 balls, but he still got out at a crucial moment.
Andy Flower, England's director of cricket, is searching for near perfection and Prior fell just short. Batting at No.6 requires a wide range of strokes and nerves of steel. Nobody doubts Prior's competitive spirit but his shots under pressure are usually limited to big ones between long-off and extra cover.
It is the hit and hope way of handling pressure, the coping of which separates the best from the rest. In a different context, it would have been noted just how suspect Prior was under duress when England were hanging on for those two last-gasp draws against South Africa two months ago. For that reason Kieswetter is not really his rival.
