England Cricket / Ralph Ellis / 28 August 2008 /

Ralph Ellis talks to England's wicketkeeper-batsman ahead of Friday's third ODI at The Oval.

Matt Prior's England career until now was notable only for "Jellybeangate", when the Indians accused Michael Vaughan's side of lack of sportsmanship and respect. The noisy, aggressive wicketkeeper took the blame for the incident even if it probably wasn't his fault. And when he was subsequently dropped from the Test team to give Tim Ambrose a go with the gloves he was barely missed.

Ambrose, however, has never really made his mark as either wicketkeeper or batsman. And so Prior is back and after Wednesday's hammering of South Africa is looking like he's here to stay.

It's fair to assume he'll be leaving the jelly beans in the dressing room from now on - and the mints for shining the ball too, come to that! Prior has gone away, thought hard about what went right and wrong on his last chance to play for England, and come back changed and improved.

What was impressive about him at Trent Bridge on Wednesday wasn't just the six catches that helped dismiss the South Africans for just 83 in 23 overs. It wasn't even the spectacular, diving effort that got rid of Graeme Smith - there's an argument that a better keeper would have kept out the way and let first slip gobble a routine catch. No, the thing that struck me was the aggressive way that Prior batted when England came to chase such a low total to go two up in the series.

Given 50 overs to get so few runs, the temptation is to settle down quietly and take time to make sure of it - to protect your own average and win the game quietly. But this is the new England where Kevin Pietersen has set out dynamic roles for every player in his team. And Prior knew that his job throughout the series, as opening batsman, has been designated as making runs fast. That was why he blazed through an unbeaten 45 off just 36 balls to get in tune for the job.

He's talking to the papers today about his change in attitude and why he hopes it will get him back into the Test team in time for the winter tour to India.

"I know all about the highs and lows when it comes to England," he says.

"That's why I'm trying to maintain a consistent level so that I enjoy a success like Wednesday, but make sure I turn up at The Oval ready to secure the series.

"It was very tough to take when I was dropped, but there are two ways you can take something like that, either moan about it and blame everyone else or dust yourself down and get on with the business of trying to come back.

"One of the big things I learned in the past is that when I've been left out I've chased playing for England. I looked too far ahead. This time I kept it simple. Test cricket is fantastic so of course I'll be looking to get back in but I'm being strict on myself and the Oval is all I want to focus on now."

It's another encouraging sign that Pietersen has changed attitudes in the England dressing room.

"KP has said 'well done, we've played well once, now let's do it twice. Okay we've done it twice, now let's do it three times in a row and so on,' explains Prior.

All that means you can feel confident about backing a third successive win at The Oval tomorrow, even at the odds of [1.85]. And I'm liking more and more the [3.35] on offer for an Ashes win next summer.

At the very least a good winter series will bring that price down to let you do some laying off - especially if the South Africans do well against Australia in the meantime.

Five things you might not know about Matt Prior

1. Born in Johannesburg South Africa, he was 11 when his family moved to England and sent him to Brighton College public school

2. He's a fan of Brighton football team, and also of the computer game Championship Manager. On a tour to Sri Lanka he got addicted to it in a three-way tournament with Stuart Broad and James Anderson

3. An astrology guide says his Tarot card should be The Fool - making him fearless and carefree while playing but with the possibility of foul play!

4. After being dropped by England last winter he decided to give up wicket keeping and become only a batsman - but was talked out of that by Alec Stewart

5. He's the only England wicket keeper to have scored 100 on a Test debut - before him the last to get 50 on a debut was Jack Russell who got 94 against Sri Lanka at Lord's in 1988

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