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[Mr Cricket]

im not sold on prior just yet, although do think hes the best man for the job - hopefully he will assure me with a quick 50 to add to that 75* tonight!

[Riddy]

got a let off, caught behind off a no ball, batted positively and pretty well to be honest but i am yet to be convinced by him as he has never made the hard runs to dig us out of holes, something many people said about ian bell a year or two ago, would like to see prior make runs in tricky situations, not just coming in at 300-5 and having a bash

made 80 odd not out against pakistan in the summer.... the next highest score was 49 from stuart broad...   think that proves your point?

[Mr Cricket]

not sure that one example is going to change my entire mindset on the subject

[procricket]

Ok Mr tell we who you want to keep for England

[Mr Cricket]

im not sold on prior just yet, although do think hes the best man for the job - hopefully he will assure me with a quick 50 to add to that 75* tonight!

[Mr Cricket]

just not sure i agree with this 'world class' tag associated with him as he has still got plenty to prove

[procricket]

Prior is world class keeper/batsman and i think he a little bit better than that i suspect he one area England are not worried about at all we all know he is miles ahead of his competition in England and i suspect he is possible one of the first names on the test sheet.

Look through his history he has made runs on noumours (sp) occasions for England big runs as well.

To be honest i sold on everybody in England side bar Collingwood but i suspect he will come good in Sydney good old Colly style..



So Cricket who is better batsman/keeper in the world test arena than him..  I can think of only one

In fact i think although it a modern thing realy the keeper/batsman i suspect he is in the top 10 of all time batsman/keepers

A bold statement but i can not think of 10 better batsman who kept at test level for a long period of time...sure there better keepers but he is getting better and better

[Alvaro]

his beard is good too

[procricket]

yes looks a bloody old bugger for 28 with the old egg in the nest look

[Alvaro]

an odd contrast to the white PE kit

[Mr Cricket]

sad truth is that theres not many world class keeper/batsmen around. go around the test world nation by nation and theres a flaw with most of them, england and in a comparitively good position having prior settled in the side

Haddin is the best around at the minute, solid when he wants to be with the bat and athletic behind the stumps.

Ive got no problems with Prior, your argueing with yourself if your trying to pick me up on that! my point was that in a 60-5 scenario hes got something to prove, and when someone says 'world class keeper/batsmen' i think names like Gilchrist and Sangakkara who were big run getters and solid glovemen - in terms of batting you just cant put Prior in that category, good - yes, world class - no

i dont think im saying anything here that isnt agreeable, maybe i hadnt put my point across properly to begin with or people didnt understand what i meant, but im not looking for a barrage of 'change your opinion' reposts from everyone!

[Jeet]

his beard is good too

If he keeps going with the beard, maybe he could be the English Amla, albeit without the Asian wrists lol

[johan95]

You know this keeper/batsman debate? Are you talking about in tests, or just generally, as if it's generally, surely it's got to be Kumar Sangakkara?! Average of 55 at tests (there or thereabouts, you can correct me if you want Jeet-) is bloody handy! His keeping is sharp too? Though I highly rate Prior, and his keeping on day one was fantastic, did you see some of his stops?!

[Tumo]

sad truth is that theres not many world class keeper/batsmen around. go around the test world nation by nation and theres a flaw with most of them, england and in a comparitively good position having prior settled in the side

Haddin is the best around at the minute, solid when he wants to be with the bat and athletic behind the stumps.

Ive got no problems with Prior, your argueing with yourself if your trying to pick me up on that! my point was that in a 60-5 scenario hes got something to prove, and when someone says 'world class keeper/batsmen' i think names like Gilchrist and Sangakkara who were big run getters and solid glovemen - in terms of batting you just cant put Prior in that category, good - yes, world class - no

i dont think im saying anything here that isnt agreeable, maybe i hadnt put my point across properly to begin with or people didnt understand what i meant, but im not looking for a barrage of 'change your opinion' reposts from everyone!

I'm gonna take you up on Gilly's keeping. It was sloppy. His ridiculous appetite for runs masked the fact that he would miss, on average, one chance a match with the gloves. Not always big chances, easy chances, or important batsmen, but a chance all the same. Prior's a far superior keeper, and admittedly not as good a batsman but still quality. I'd take him over Haddin as well. Not sold at all on Haddin. Sanga's average as a keeper is 40.48, admittedly still not bad but his average as a batsman alone is 76.52. Clearly a burden on him, as well as the captaincy. Andy Flower the best of recent times though! Gilchrist was rarely in the 60-5 situation, I mean just look at the line-ups he's had before him. He was rarely in strife like 70-5, although when he was he fought his way out, not doubting the player by any means!

[procricket]

Haddin is a poor keeper and whilst his batting is up there with Prior but his keeping is not.

There a reason for Tim Paine knocking around in truth i suspect were seeing the end of Haddin in this series along with Ponting,Katich,Hillfenhaus, and possibly Hussey if he calls time.

England are supirior to the Aussie in every aspect apart from number 5......

In fact lets merge the 2 sides here goes

1,Cook
2,Strauss
3.Trott
4.Pietersen
5.Hussey
6.Bell
7.Prior
8.Swann
9.Siddell
10.Tremlett
11.Anderson


And i suspect Australia are struggling for youth Steve Smith is on poor with both bat and ball and in truth looks out of his depth..

Gone are the days of Australia superior state sides it just not there they remind me of England a few years ago picking people out of the blue,

I would be upset if my club signed Xavier Doherty as Pro never mind test cricket