It was a bit of a Shocker-Prior

It was a bit of a shocker-Prior

Matt Prior will hope England's 2nd innings is alot better than their first.

Matt Prior England's wicketkeeper has admitted England have under performed substantially with the bat in the first innings and is hoping that such a situation doesn't happen second time around.England have started promisingly in their second innings,at stumps on day 3 they are 111 without lose,219 runs behind India.

"We all know that our first innings was a bit of a shocker," Prior said. "To lose wickets quickly is always disappointing.

"I sat here two days before the Test and told you guys that it's all very well talking, but you have to go out there and do it. And unfortunately, first innings, we didn't do it. Simple as that. We're all honest enough to hold our hands up and say we didn't get that right.

"Everyone I know for a fact was keen to get into this Test match. The batters were keen to go out there and prove a point. We knew the wicket was going to turn a bit. Maybe we got a little bit too ahead of ourselves and a little bit panicky."

Prior defended team mate Ian Bell who was caught in deep mid-off coming down the track for his first ball.


"He knows he got it slightly wrong today," Prior said. "One thing you talk about is playing your own game and backing yourself. Only Belly will know the plan he had and what he wanted to do and it didn't come off. If it had gone for a one-bounce four everyone would've said, 'what a fantastic shot, he's off and running.'

Those are the fine lines when you play sport. When it does not come off, it doesn't look great, admittedly, but you cannot question the quality and the class of a batter like Ian Bell. We all know that he's class and hopefully he'll show that. He is one of the finest batters of hitting the ball over the top that I know."

Despite the first innings failure,Prior says he and his team mates have taken heart from the start they have gotten in their second innings.


"We've played long enough and know each other well enough," Prior said. "There's no point sulking. We have a big second innings coming up and he'll be as motivated as any of our batters to get a big score.

"As a professional sportsman you have to look forward, look at a day and take the positives. The way Compo and Cookie went about their business this afternoon was fantastic. To end up none down at the end of the day, we'll take a huge amount from that. We're still behind in the game but it gives us a lot of confidence that we can go out and bat for a long period of time.

"In the second innings we seem to be a lot calmer. We have to take a lot from that, get our game-plans right and stick to a method. It's turning a bit and bouncing a bit, but you can bat periods of time.

"There's no point crying over spilt milk. You have to move on. We knew that we underperformed. No-one's more frustrated than the guys sat in the dressing-room, but, most importantly we went out there and are none down. That's a fantastic turnaround. We're behind the game, but fighting hard and still in the game.

"We're not going sit here and go, 'we're fantastically placed here and everything looks great.' Because it's not. We're still a long way behind the game, the wicket's turning and there is a bit of reverse swing. But what we will do is fight. And we will learn lessons from the first innings and try and make strides forward. If we do get anything from this game, that would be great. But, it's not unrealistic."

England Spirit never better-Prior

England may not have enjoyed their preperation against spin and will be without strike bowler Steve Finn,but their confidence and unity is surely intact. . Having said that,their true unity will be seen and tested on the hot afternoons when they are put into a position which isn't exactly the greatest.

Matt Prior has said "We go into this Test match feeling fully prepared that we've covered every base," Prior said. "We've had a very good and long preparation phase this time around. We have been able to hit a lot of balls and play a lot of cricket on these types of wickets. We have given ourselves the best chance. We have prepared as well as we can. It's now down to performing on the pitch.

"There are certain things that we do now in our net sessions and in our training and our thought processes that are very different to other England teams I've toured with. If you keep doing what you always did, you keep getting what you've always got. I think the records speak for themselves: how long it's been since England last won out here.

"So to come out here and win in that environment would be even better. All these little challenges lead to something that, if we could pull it off, would be a fantastic honour to be part of."


The key to the series may well prove to be how England deal with the Indian spinners. And, perhaps, how they deal with the scars of the series against Pakistan in the UAE when all their

"That series is always in the back of your mind," Prior admitted. "But, as an international sportsman, you have to be pretty thick skinned and able to move on. I hope we learn from our experiences and mistakes and take them forward into these Test matches.

"I think it's going to be tough. But out of those tough challenges come your great rewards. Winning the Ashes in Australia was a tough challenge but it felt even better at the end of it because it was tough. If it was easy it's not as much fun if you come out on top."