***Official*** India in England

[Bob Bamber]

Can't recall any other drops, but his general keeping's been shoddy for the most.

There was definatly atleast one in the Windies series. Gayle flashed at one with a bat at 45 degree bat. Went one handed to his left. And dropped it. And he must have dropped about two or three off Mascarenhas (Alright their difficult). He just doesn't instill me with confidence. And hes not that good.

 

[Fiery]

Just watching the replay now. Blatant piece of cheating by Dhoni to try to claim that catch off Pietersen imo. Why do players even try this on with the amount of cameras around these days?

 

[Richard]

Can't recall any other drops, but his general keeping's been shoddy for the most.

There was definatly atleast one in the Windies series. Gayle flashed at one with a bat at 45 degree bat. Went one handed to his left. And dropped it. And he must have dropped about two or three off Mascarenhas (Alright their difficult). He just doesn't instill me with confidence. And hes not that good.

I don't think he's neccessarily going to turn-out that good TBH, either, but right now he's not done a hell of a lot wrong.

If anyone would prefer Chris Read or Geraint Jones, I'm le.

 

[Richard]

Just watching the replay now. Blatant piece of cheating by Dhoni to try to claim that catch off Pietersen imo. Why do players even try this on with the amount of cameras around these days?

Don't agree that he was trying to cheat, he's not that sort. He thought it'd carred - christ, Pietersen thought it'd carried. He didn't make any big fuss about it when it was ruled not-out - non-issue IMO. The right decision was made (and it barely mattered anyway - did it?) and no-one was made to look foolish, and no-one kicked-up a fuss.

 

[Fiery]

Don't agree that he was trying to cheat, he's not that sort. He thought it'd carred - christ, Pietersen thought it'd carried. He didn't make any big fuss about it when it was ruled not-out - non-issue IMO. The right decision was made (and it barely mattered anyway - did it?) and no-one was made to look foolish, and no-one kicked-up a fuss.

It bounced up into the top of his gloves. Of course he knew.... and he doesn't usually appeal that demonstratively. Dodgy as. The sooner this sort of thing is stamped out of the game the better so it needs to be said

 

[Richard]

Demonstratively?!

He appealed the way most people appeal (especially when it's a key batsman in question) IMO. As I say, I don't think Dhoni is the type to claim a catch he knows beyond a doubt didn't carry.

 

[Fiery]

Demonstratively?!

He appealed the way most people appeal (especially when it's a key batsman in question) IMO. As I say, I don't think Dhoni is the type to claim a catch he knows beyond a doubt didn't carry.

Know him personally do you?

 

[pskov]

Can't recall any other drops, but his general keeping's been shoddy for the most.

Going through the cricinfo commentary for the tests agains the West Indies when WI were batting searching for "Prior" found the following chances put down or drops:

None in the 1st test. His keeping was generally praised especially to an atrocious Harmison. Made one mistake standing up to Collingwood that cost four byes. No drops.

Second test, second innings:

2.4 Sidebottom to Gayle, 2 runs, dropped. Prior dived across first slip for that one, his first mistake for England, snatching with his left glove after Gayle was squared up there

Also let 4 byes past on one occasion that was tough but stoppable. Again generally praised for his keeping to Harmison and Plunkett.


Third test first innings again generally praised for keeping to wayward bowling but not quite as much as in the first two tests. One occasion of 4 byes deemed stoppable and one extreemely tough chance down legside that he couldn't reach.

Second innings:

68.6 Panesar to Chanderpaul, no run, missed stumping from Prior. Completely beaten Chanderpaul - in fact, it turned the other way! Monty has a doosra, and Prior didn't pick it. Collingwood was quick to save any runs by diving behind Prior

82.3 Sidebottom to Ramdin, FOUR, dropped. A hard chance for Prior, diving away to his left as that's strangled - he goes with two hands and the ball just clatters of the glovetips

Other than that didn;t let any easy byes past him and saved several athletically.

Fourth test, first innings again one incident of 4 byes that was attributed to be his fault (got his gloves to it but only parried it to 3rd man) but other than that reckoned to have kept excellently, including up to the stumps on occasion when Hoggard and Sidebottom were bowling.

Second innings once more a case where 4 byes were his fault, this time a shocler apparetly. Other than that kept well, not as praised for saving byes down legside as much but probably because Harmison wasn't giving him as many opportunities.

So there you go, in 4 and a bit tests, Prior has made three drops and one missed stumping, plus another chance that would have required a tremendous effort but could in theory have been caught nonetheless. Now, whether that is par-for-the-course for a decent international wicketkeeper I have no idea, but those are the figures.

Of course this is all dependant on agreeing with the Cricinfo commentary, but seeing as I don't think any of us have the time nor capacity to go through the entire tape of each innings ourselves, it's the best we have.

 

[steds]

Still waitin'...

Happy?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need sleep. Alot.

 

[steds]

Going through the cricinfo commentary for the tests agains the West Indies when WI were batting searching for "Prior" found the following chances put down or drops:

None in the 1st test. His keeping was generally praised especially to an atrocious Harmison. Made one mistake standing up to Collingwood that cost four byes. No drops.

Second test, second innings:

2.4 Sidebottom to Gayle, 2 runs, dropped. Prior dived across first slip for that one, his first mistake for England, snatching with his left glove after Gayle was squared up there

Also let 4 byes past on one occasion that was tough but stoppable. Again generally praised for his keeping to Harmison and Plunkett.


Third test first innings again generally praised for keeping to wayward bowling but not quite as much as in the first two tests. One occasion of 4 byes deemed stoppable and one extreemely tough chance down legside that he couldn't reach.

Second innings:

68.6 Panesar to Chanderpaul, no run, missed stumping from Prior. Completely beaten Chanderpaul - in fact, it turned the other way! Monty has a doosra, and Prior didn't pick it. Collingwood was quick to save any runs by diving behind Prior

82.3 Sidebottom to Ramdin, FOUR, dropped. A hard chance for Prior, diving away to his left as that's strangled - he goes with two hands and the ball just clatters of the glovetips

Other than that didn;t let any easy byes past him and saved several athletically.

Fourth test, first innings again one incident of 4 byes that was attributed to be his fault (got his gloves to it but only parried it to 3rd man) but other than that reckoned to have kept excellently, including up to the stumps on occasion when Hoggard and Sidebottom were bowling.

Second innings once more a case where 4 byes were his fault, this time a shocler apparetly. Other than that kept well, not as praised for saving byes down legside as much but probably because Harmison wasn't giving him as many opportunities.

So there you go, in 4 and a bit tests, Prior has made three drops and one missed stumping, plus another chance that would have required a tremendous effort but could in theory have been caught nonetheless. Now, whether that is par-for-the-course for a decent international wicketkeeper I have no idea, but those are the figures.

Of course this is all dependant on agreeing with the Cricinfo commentary, but seeing as I don't think any of us have the time nor capacity to go through the entire tape of each innings ourselves, it's the best we have.

Remember some of those now. Especially the missed stumping

 

[Richard]

Happy?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need sleep. Alot.

Bennett, I challenge thee, I finish work at 10:00 tomorrow, and I bet I can get my tomorrow's report up sooner than thee.

Whose choice was it to stay up all last night when he had a report to do and a match to attend?

 

[Richard]

Going through the cricinfo commentary for the tests agains the West Indies when WI were batting searching for "Prior" found the following chances put down or drops:

None in the 1st test. His keeping was generally praised especially to an atrocious Harmison. Made one mistake standing up to Collingwood that cost four byes. No drops.

Second test, second innings:

2.4 Sidebottom to Gayle, 2 runs, dropped. Prior dived across first slip for that one, his first mistake for England, snatching with his left glove after Gayle was squared up there

Also let 4 byes past on one occasion that was tough but stoppable. Again generally praised for his keeping to Harmison and Plunkett.


Third test first innings again generally praised for keeping to wayward bowling but not quite as much as in the first two tests. One occasion of 4 byes deemed stoppable and one extreemely tough chance down legside that he couldn't reach.

Second innings:

68.6 Panesar to Chanderpaul, no run, missed stumping from Prior. Completely beaten Chanderpaul - in fact, it turned the other way! Monty has a doosra, and Prior didn't pick it. Collingwood was quick to save any runs by diving behind Prior

82.3 Sidebottom to Ramdin, FOUR, dropped. A hard chance for Prior, diving away to his left as that's strangled - he goes with two hands and the ball just clatters of the glovetips

Other than that didn;t let any easy byes past him and saved several athletically.

Fourth test, first innings again one incident of 4 byes that was attributed to be his fault (got his gloves to it but only parried it to 3rd man) but other than that reckoned to have kept excellently, including up to the stumps on occasion when Hoggard and Sidebottom were bowling.

Second innings once more a case where 4 byes were his fault, this time a shocler apparetly. Other than that kept well, not as praised for saving byes down legside as much but probably because Harmison wasn't giving him as many opportunities.

So there you go, in 4 and a bit tests, Prior has made three drops and one missed stumping, plus another chance that would have required a tremendous effort but could in theory have been caught nonetheless. Now, whether that is par-for-the-course for a decent international wicketkeeper I have no idea, but those are the figures.

Of course this is all dependant on agreeing with the Cricinfo commentary, but seeing as I don't think any of us have the time nor capacity to go through the entire tape of each innings ourselves, it's the best we have.

Don't really see how four-byes are additional to missed chances. Sure, the error is the same, but the odd few byes doesn't really matter much in all bar the tiniest handful of Tests.

 

[nightprowler10]

Where's your loyalty at son?

Haha, son? How old are you again?

At the beginning of the series, I couldn't decide whom I want to root for, as I always enjoy watching India and England play and like to watch them lose. But after that collapse today I think I'll root for India.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Exactly what I've been saying. The one he dropped , was a very easy catch. And its not the first one. The Indian attack will find him out pretty quickly , and the sooner he is out of the side the better.

As with England's keeping situation. They've just picked the wrong person again. Jones was a decent batsmen , and his keeping improved , but he never had , or probably never will have the talent to become a international class keeper. Chris Read did his best , but he doesn't have the batting strength to get himself in there. And Prior , well , I haven't seen much of him outside the internationals this summer , but I remember one person on here saying that hes a weaker keeper than Jones and a weeker batsmen that Read. To be honest I think there is the keeper out there , but we've just got to pick the right one. I think Paul Nixon would have been the best option. OK he hasn't got age on his side, but hes a very solid keeper , and he can bat when he wants to. Although if it was my decision , I would have gone for Nic Pothas. Probably the best "English" (Has he passed yet?) bastmen , who can keep , which in the situation is probably the best thing , considering we don't have a pure keeper batsmen (who does?).

We established during the NatWest Series that some of your assessment of the difficulty of wicketkeeping takes was wayward at best. Go and take a pair of gloves and stand to bowling being deflected with a quarter of a second's notice at 65mph and then you might have some vague appreciation of the difficulty of the task.

Not only that, but you slam Prior for being a batsman who keeps wicket and then call for the selection of another identical player based on very little viewing time and what you've read on statistics, reports and Cricinfo. This is a prime example of players becoming better for being out of the public eye: we don't get to see every single simple chance that Pothas shells magnified and replayed with Hot Spot. So far I cannot remember Prior making a complete and total horlicks of any outrageously straightforward ones (think Jones off Warne off Flintoff, Old Trafford 2005), merely spilling middle-difficulty chances, which everyone does on a semi-regular basis - including great slip/point fielders.

The only criticism I have of Prior's keeping is speed of footwork down the legside: he appears to move very late - and while this can help with getting across if it swings, seams or gets nicked across the bat, if it keeps going down leg then you're stuffed.

Well that's 20,000... I've been looking for a half reasonable lengthed rant all day to lock and target rather than wasting it with a "dire"... hope it was worth waiting for...

 

[Fiery]

Haha, son? How old are you again?

At the beginning of the series, I couldn't decide whom I want to root for, as I always enjoy watching India and England play and like to watch them lose. But after that collapse today I think I'll root for India.

This came from a kiwi with an Adam Gilchrist avatar too remember

 

[The Baconator]

Haha, son? How old are you again?

Have called my dad 'son' on the odd occasion tbh.

 

[Dasa]

Looks like an interesting couple of days ahead here.

 

[Richard]

Have called my dad 'son' on the odd occasion tbh.

Call most lads I know with any well-ness "son" ATT ITBT.

 

[Bob Bamber]

We established during the NatWest Series that some of your assessment of the difficulty of wicketkeeping takes was wayward at best. Go and take a pair of gloves and stand to bowling being deflected with a quarter of a second's notice at 65mph and then you might have some vague appreciation of the difficulty of the task.

Not only that, but you slam Prior for being a batsman who keeps wicket and then call for the selection of another identical player based on very little viewing time and what you've read on statistics, reports and Cricinfo. This is a prime example of players becoming better for being out of the public eye: we don't get to see every single simple chance that Pothas shells magnified and replayed with Hot Spot. So far I cannot remember Prior making a complete and total horlicks of any outrageously straightforward ones (think Jones off Warne off Flintoff, Old Trafford 2005), merely spilling middle-difficulty chances, which everyone does on a semi-regular basis - including great slip/point fielders.

The only criticism I have of Prior's keeping is speed of footwork down the legside: he appears to move very late - and while this can help with getting across if it swings, seams or gets nicked across the bat, if it keeps going down leg then you're stuffed.

Well that's 20,000... I've been looking for a half reasonable lengthed rant all day to lock and target rather than wasting it with a "dire"... hope it was worth waiting for...

Prior just doesn't instill me with confidence. I think the catch he dropped was a pretty simple one. But he just doesn't scare me. I just think someone like Nic Pothas or Paul Nixon would give the opposition a bit more of a thing to think about.

 

[pskov]

Don't really see how four-byes are additional to missed chances. Sure, the error is the same, but the odd few byes doesn't really matter much in all bar the tiniest handful of Tests.

I wasn't equating them to missed chances at all, just trying to record both the main aspects of the wicketkeeper's role, stopping byes and taking catches/stumpings. Beside he's been generally excellent in bye prevention to date anyway.

And for the record my view is the jury is still out on him. Not 100% convinced he's good enough with either bat or gloves, but not writing him off either. Only time will tell.