Who can be England's Matt Prior as they battle to save first Test?
Sunday 24 November 2019 21:22, UK
England need a Matt Prior.
Six years ago the then-wicketkeeper-batsman guided England to an unlikely draw against New Zealand in Auckland with an unbeaten 110 from 182 deliveries as the Black Caps fell one wicket short of victory.
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The tourists require a similar intervention this time around after tumbling to 55-3 after day four at Mount Maunganui and must now bat out day five to keep the series all square heading into the final Test in Hamilton.
REPORT | SCORECARD | HOW IT HAPPENED
With England in need of someone to step up, we look at how Prior did just that in 2013, when he was ably supported by Ian Bell, his tailenders and a non-dislodged bail in a finish for the ages...
BACKS TO THE WALL...
England were on the ropes heading into the final day of the third and final Test. A series defeat looked the most likely result with the tourists - who had drawn the first two Tests in Dunedin and Wellington - beginning proceedings on 90-4 after they had been set an improbable 481 for victory in four-and-a-half sessions the day before.
That target was a notional one, with survival the only real goal, but England had already lost the services of Alastair Cook (43), Nick Compton (2) and Jonathan Trott (37) - there men who could definitely dig in - as well as nightwatchman Steven Finn (0) on day four. Yep, things looked bleak...
PRIOR FUELS EPIC REARGUARD...
Step up Prior, who led an epic rearguard action to thwart the Kiwis - the England vice-captain followed up his stout first-innings 73 with an unbeaten 110 off 182 balls to steer the tourists to 315-9.
The wicketkeeper-batsman shared a defiant stand of 78 with Ian Bell, whose 75 spanned 352 minutes, and then 67 with Stuart Broad, who scored six off 77 balls to take valuable overs and time out of the game.
BAIL BAILS OUT ENGLAND...
Prior did enjoy some good fortune during his lengthy stay at the crease, though - most notably when a short delivery from Neil Wagner, who had dismissed Bell prior to tea, deflected on to the stumps as Prior took evasive action. Yet, luckily for England, the ball failed to dislodge the bails.
When Broad and James Anderson fell in the space of three balls, stoic Prior and last-man Monty Panesar - who had starred in a similar scenario in the Ashes Test at Cardiff in 2009 - batted out the final three overs in as tense a finale as you could wish for.
THE FINAL OVER
Broad had his head in his hands with Panesar on strike to Trent Boult, probably even more so as England's No 11 played and missed first ball!
Panesar withdrew his bat perfectly from the second delivery and then drove the third beautifully through mid-off for the single that got Prior back on strike. Prior then dealt with the final three deliveries as England recorded a famous draw.
"This England side don't roll over and die. Fight, fight all the way, said Bob Willis on commentary. "Pure cricketing skill from Matthew Prior saves the day."
WHAT THEY SAID…
PRIOR: "I'm not one to celebrate draws but to escape with that is phenomenal. When Monty first walked out, I mentioned Cardiff 2009. Your role as the in batter is to help out with game-plans and so on - so we had a long chat about how I thought he was going to try to get him out and how he thought he should counter it. To be honest he thrives on that sort of situation. One thing this team will do is fight. We haven't played our best cricket, we know that, but we'll never give up."
IAN BOTHAM: "It was a magnificent effort. No one gave their wicket away all the way through the day and you could see how disappointed numbers nine [Broad] and 10 [Anderson] were when they got out. What more can you say about Prior? He is an exceptional cricketer now. He was absolutely magnificent and Broad, after a very shaky start, settled in and hung around. It was a top, top effort."
MARK BUTCHER: "The hundred was stunning. The irony is that you've got 140-odd overs to bat to save a Test match and the guy that is most successful is the guy who goes out there and plays exactly the same as he would do in any other situation - i.e. he takes the bowlers on, goes for his shots and pretty much plays with a freedom that nobody was able to match. Matt had a few close escapes - it was extraordinary how the bails didn't even move after that delivery from Wagner. But nobody can tell me didn't deserve it. It was a stunning innings, a real bull-dog performance."
WHAT ABOUT NOW?
Things may seem dire for England as they plot an escape in 2019 but the pitch is flat and one of the wickets to have fallen is nightwatchman Jack Leach. Joe Denly and Root will start off on day five, with Headingley hero Ben Stokes as well as Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran to come. Heck, even Broad may play his part again!
After the summer England had they should not be written off and Alec Stewart is backing them to salvage a draw. "There is no reason why they can't, with good character, good application and good decision making in the shots," he told The Cricket Debate. "It will be really disappointing if England lose this Test."
Will England do it? Find out live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 9.30pm.
