Matt Prior retires
A skilled wicketkeeper, a pugnacious batsman
County debut as a 19-year-old for Sussex in 2001, and Matt Prior didn't take much time to amass 1000 first-class runs, in 2003, when Sussex won their first-ever County Championship title. Prior went on to play 146 matches for his county team, with 7706 runs, including 19 hundreds, and 352 dismissals•Getty Images
Even though he didn't have as celebratory an ODI career, Prior occasionally shone in the coloured clothes including a career-best 87 against West Indies•Getty Images
It came in a losing cause, but Prior effected eight dismissals - his best - against South Africa at Lord's in 2012. Six catches and two stumpings could not prevent a 2-0 series defeat , though•Getty Images
Just like his debut, he played his last Test at Lord's. It didn't end with a century or with a win, but Prior's career finished with 4099 Test runs to his name, and 256 dismissals, second only to Alan Knott among the England wicketkeepers. He stood down from Tests for the rest of the summer because of an Achilles problem and announced his retirement from professional cricket nearly a year later•Getty Images
Nearly three years after his ODI debut, Prior was handed his Test cap by Andrew Strauss at Lord's and he made the most of the opportunity, with an unbeaten 128-ball 126 against West Indies in a drawn match•Getty Images
With a decent outing in his maiden Ashes, Prior tasted success as England won 2-1 at home in 2009•Getty Images
He went on to become an integral part of England's Test side with several game-changing knocks, standing tall after the top and middle order would stutter. One such defining innings came in Auckland, where he scored 73 and a fighting 110 not out with the tail to save England the match•Getty Images
He changed the script next time around against Australia, that too in Australia. 2011 brought him his maiden Ashes hundred and he ended the series with 23 catches, as England ran out 3-1 winners•AFP
Another Ashes. Another win. Not a prolific series for Prior but his ability to rouse the mood with Churchillian speeches led him to be named vice-captain for the Ashes tour to Australia in 2013-14•Getty Images
Terms of Use|Privacy Policy|Your US State Privacy Rights|Children's Online Privacy Policy|Interest - Based Ads|Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information|Feedback
© 2024 ESPN Sports Media Ltd. All rights reserved