-
Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
Forgotten Cricketers?
- Thread starter dass
- Start date
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Didn't Prior only get on tour as a second keeper though? Then when on tour, the number of options are automatically fewer.
Might have been selected more for the batting, but his bowling had to have an effect, hence where he ended up in the actual team.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
I don't think he ever got into a Test party as a 2nd 'keeper...? And recently it only seems to have been Test parties who've had 2nd 'keepers (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here ANYWHERE - keep your hands and arms inside the carpet... [only any good if you've seen Disney's Aladdin]) so I really think Prior was picked as a "he's a big-hitter" batsman, even though Duncan has displayed an at-times-frustrating interest in having a wicketkeeper open, which coupled with "it took Gilchrist X games to get going as an opener" really did make me worry.
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Thankfully we've not stooped so low as selecting him as a Test back-up.
However, the fact he occasionally wears the gloves and stands behind the stumps must have had a side effect on his call up for the ODI squad, especially seeing as Trescothick withdrew/wasn't selected.
From then on, he was probably retained in the initial squad as he'd only had one game in Zimbabwe and we were losing so many players through injury that Darren Anderton wouldn't have felt out of place getting a call up.
However, the fact he occasionally wears the gloves and stands behind the stumps must have had a side effect on his call up for the ODI squad, especially seeing as Trescothick withdrew/wasn't selected.
From then on, he was probably retained in the initial squad as he'd only had one game in Zimbabwe and we were losing so many players through injury that Darren Anderton wouldn't have felt out of place getting a call up.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
IIRR the first time he was selected in a proper squad (excluding that Zimbabwe tour where experiment was the name of the game) was Pakistan when four or five players who would've been ahead of him were injured. Trescothick, yet, though, wasn't one (the two opened together in Pakistan). Otherwise I might be inclined to believe the Trescothick-back-up-wicketkeeper might have been the reason.
shortpitched713
International Captain
An opinion that more than a few people held, tbh.
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Since he was selected for Zimbabwe first, when the gloves were clearly the reason, that's got to be when you look from.
DCC_legend
International Regular
Geoff Humpage-Hes pretty Forgotten tbh
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Really?
I mean, I know that sort of thing is much less common than more in Pakistan, but I still think it's a shame if a good number of people will genuinely hold that against you.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Well Jones was still in that squad, and kept in all the games, while Prior played only when Solanki was rested.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Yes, I think thats part of the reason that he has such a bad reputation, but obviously not all of it. There's no doubt in my mind that if he had settled down a bit earlier, there wouldn't have been nearly as many questions about his commitment.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
If you mean Prior I'm fairly sure we have. Read didn't tour Pakistan or India last winter, despite averaging over 10 runs more per FC innings that Prior who was in both test sqauds. IIRC Dunc justified it on the grounds that Prior "scored his runs more quickly" or somesuch.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
And I always thought his bad reputation was just because of his volatility...
(Maybe it is in the rest of The World, and for-that-+ in Pakistan...)
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Yes, I know that.
But the only real reason he was in the squad was as a back up for injury to Jones - because there was no fill in in Trescothick (for one thing I believe getting anyone else out to Zimbabwe would've been a political nightmare bearing in mind the regime over there and their attitude to visas)
Therefore he was out there so given a game as he was then being selected out of a squad of 14/15 rather than had the game been in England (where there were so many more available)
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Ouch - I obviously tried to block it from my mind and had done until then!
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
There was this great Kiwi leg spinner...what was his name ???
Oh yes and then there was that wonderfully explosive opener in the fifties from England...er...er..
And of course how can one forget that express fast bowler from India...now what was he called ???
How about that soft spoken, polite fast bowler from Australia....I cant seem to remember....
