Cricinfo - Blogs - Different Strokes - OK, Matt Prior, you win

Then he went to Sri Lanka, where he scored very few runs and missed approximately 73 routine chances, mostly off Ryan Sidebottom, which drops resulted in his taking the same medicine.

He was shocked, even more so when it became apparent how much glee there was at his downfall. His bubble of self-importance had burst in spectacular fashion.

The news that the England selectors had decided to recall him was greeted by many people with glum resignation. One had to admit that he did have a more convincing batting record than any of the candidates with better keeping credentials, and recent English batting has been far too fragile to admit weak links where they need not be. But he was there on sufferance.

He has clearly taken on board some of the criticism. Sitting in the stands, you hear the odd shout of encouragement, but the incessant inane jabbering is a thing of the past. His keeping is nothing to write hymns of praise to, but he will still be on the bowlers' Christmas card lists. This was improvement enough for his opponents to suspend active hostilities, at least pending developments.

His 61 off 42 balls at Lord's, though, means the war is over.

After enduring two hours of Ravi Bopara and an obviously lame Kevin Pietersen scratching around as though England could bat until Tuesday before they needed to declare, the crowd were aching for urgency and vitality, and Prior sprayed them with gallons of both. I think it was the flicked front-foot drive through extra cover down to the Tavern which got me hooked – or perhaps it was the all-run four which should by rights have only been two.

Lord's standing ovations usually take until the batsman is halfway back to the Pavilion for everyone to get up, and half-centuries very rarely get accorded a stander, but the entire ground (apart from a block of people wearing yellow sweatshirts in the Compton Stand who may possibly have been Australian) were on their feet as soon as it was confirmed that Marcus North's brilliant throw had run Prior out. The cheering was so loud that when Fred Flintoff appeared, the roar which greeted him sounded muted in comparison. In fact, it was even louder than the cheers and guffaws with which the crowd celebrated the repeated showings of Ponting spilling the simplest of slip catches. (I cannot remember a visiting captain being treated with such open contempt by an English crowd. Usually they're given at least the polite respect one might accord to the Grand Duke of Pomerania - given that one doesn't know exactly what a Grand Duke might be or where Pomerania is - when they're not being reviled as the nasty man who is being so rotten to our team by beating them so often, but Ponting is actively despised.)

We may yet spurn him, but Matt Prior will now have to do something spectacularly horrible to lose our affections. Tonight, he is English cricket's sweetheart.

"Ponting still sh#@s all over any of Englands batsmen statistically. Ever." - Not, somewhat crucially given the last few days, at Lord's, Mack! (Ave of 18-ish.)

Also, surely something that gets people's backs up more than anything is seeing a hugely talented player constantly bleating about playing in the spirit of the game and then showing dissent every time he doesn't get his way. His general attitude is so rooted in gamesmanship that I don't think he knows when he's doing it any more. All this added to the fact that he is the simian twin of George Dubya Bush - one of the most hated men in the world. And that's why the English (and Indians, and South Africans etc etc) love to see him fail.

But never think that we hate him - anyone whose opinion counts knows what a great player he can be (away from Lord's and after he's survived 20 or so full-pitched, straight deliveries).

Good points on Matt Prior, Mike - I hope he's had his hubristic indiscreation and can now improve as a keeper.

Great article about Prior

What an incredibly arrogant posting from Mack. Australia like to think they have been so strong over the past 2 decades due to some kind of in-built toughness and mental superiority over the English. In actual fact it is just because they have had much better players, something we are seeing in the current series. Just check out Mike Hussey's stats pre and post 2007.

I think the main thing that winds us u about Ponting is his sanctimoniousness. Yes, England play on the edge of the rules and yes so do Asutralia. So to hear Ponting rant about how his team are playing the game in the right way when you see how his team acted (and were widely criticised) in the 2nd test against India in Australia,it makes his comments pretty risible. Although I agree with Punter that Duncan Fletcher is a massive hypocrite, lets just agree that they're all at it!

Mack, you should remember that cricket has an elevated status in Australia. I love the game but know of few people who would choose it over a football match. And on balance Australia produce a really good standard of cricketer - at least that's how its been since as long as I can remember. But we have the odd jewel in our ranks and have shown, now that some of the legends like McGrath, Warne etc have retired, the Aussie team is now beatable. Aus are still No.1 in the world but wouldn't it be boring if they ALWAYS won??
Besides, you wouldn't begrudge England a win every so often, would you?? I've been waiting a long time for the Ashes to bring out the best in an England team. Long may it last. Anything that can get near the excitement of 2005 has got to be good for Test match cricket.
ps. I dont see the need to complain about subs being used. If you play better cricket than your opponent over 5 days, you win. Simples!

I think the fact that Prior had ups and downs so early in his career has benefitted him. He clearly works extremely hard to try and improve and seems a very positive cricketer, something you rarely see in English cricket. His second innings showed that. He had his character assassinated early on in his career - perhaps he made himself an easy target - but he has become a better cricketer, even if he will never be one for the keeping purists. It perhaps helps in that he is up against a similar player in Brad Haddin, and his value can really be put in context rather than comparisons with previous England keepers. But there is an art to his batting, and if he can bat like that and keep as he has done so far in the series, surely he must be worth his place in the five-bowler side.

[Mike: He looks to be another worthy example of a player who learns from the mass of mistakes he makes in his first international go-round and uses his time in the wilderness to rethink his approach and come back all the stronger for it. Having been one of those who was qjuite prepared to write him off, it's only fair for me to recognise how far he has come since he was dropped the first time.]

I LOVE Ricky Ponting.

If you can't admire his brilliant batting and fielding, consider what strength of character was required to defeat his personal demons and become the legendary cricketer he is today. He's a colossus of the modern game and the avatar of Australian cricket; but I don't fear and despise him like his counterpart Steve Waugh. The scar on his right cheekbone will always remind me of 2005. I think Ponting, exceptional though he is, is beatable; there is no moral advantage on either side of his relationship with the England fans. It's also amusing and rather endearing to see a modern Australian captain so easily irritated by mild forms of gamesmanship (as long as it's the opposition practicing them.)

The jeering and the catcalls are friendly, I think. It's the crowd ribbing an old mate. Listen to the generous applause he got at the presentations at Lord's this afternoon for his thoughts on the game - gracious, dignified stuff - and tell me the English despise him.

[Mike: I didn't think they were friendly at all. One of the stewards said to me that he didn't have anything against Ponting and in fact quite liked him, but everyone else I talked with during the match spoke of him with hatred or sneering contempt. The applause at his remarks during he presentation was at least in part the crowd congratulating themselves at having obviously got under his skin and right up his nose.]

I am actually a supporter of the underdog, as most Australians are. I found it quite boring to watch Australia smash England endlessly and even loved watching England win in 2005. When Goughy was winning the dead rubber in Melbourne in 1998, I was jumping for joy at his awesome attack. I always love to see NZ do well against anyone and England do well against Australia. When Australia play any other team I am behind them all the way.

Not, somewhat crucially given the last few days, at Lord's, Mack! (Ave of 18-ish.)What a silly thing to say. This is the story of English cricket for a very long period of time day in, day out, in general.

I was just pointing out that Ponting has a sustained record over 13 years and although he is now 'human' through his team departing, he has the distinction of being 2,200 runs ahead of the best England has produced. He is a grump, no debates there and the Aussies are pretty ugly at times but it worked.
Yes they are beatable and I am glad about that.

Prior has proved himself to be an outstanding keeper/batsman but not yet answered all the questions of his keeping. His keeping foibles have been well documented and deservedly so - his arrogance engenders a dislike and it should have been expected that many wanted to see him fail. Has he proved himself since his reselection? A couple of innings maketh not a superstar and certainly not when his primary role is that of keeper. Watch this space - valid questions still remain over his ability behind the stumps. Questions that can only be answered over the course of time.
As for the hate/hate relationship that Ponting is forced to endure at the hands of english supporters that would be best served to take their despicable attitude to the nearest football ground, I can only ask - why? What has Ponting done to engender such contempt from the english? His post match speech after his team failed at Lords was that of graciousness and congratulations in defeat. He deserves better treatment