Prior confident ahead of decider by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	MJ Prior
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 14th August 2009

 

England wicketkeeper Matt Prior is pretty confident that English bowlers can bowl out Australia twice in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval next week.

 

After the debacle at Headingley, the onus is now on England to deliver a good performance in the final match of the series, which begins next Thursday.

 

Though the Oval pitch might favour batsmen on both sides, Prior has seen enough evidence from his privileged position behind the stumps to be confident England can tear through Australia's team twice in five days.

 

"It's renowned as a pretty good batting wicket and we're going to have to take 20 wickets to win the game and win the Ashes.

 

"But the way the bowlers have bowled this series has been absolutely fantastic, from Fred (Andrew Flintoff), to

 

Jimmy Anderson, to Graham Onions, to Stuart Broad, Swanny (Graeme Swann), we know that we've got the unit and we've got the bowlers who can take 20 wickets and we'll be very confident."

 

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, Prior did not comment on the question of who might feature in England's middle order.

 

"That would be up to the selectors to decide," he said. "But what I will say is that the 11 guys who go out next Thursday will be absolutely up for it.

 

"It's amazing to be 1-1 in an Ashes series, it's like having a final in a Test series, it's so exciting, and the whole country has been gripped by the Ashes and really got behind us.

 

"Those 11 guys who walk out at The Oval will be really pumped up."