Prior lifts Lions

Matt Prior © Getty Images

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Matt Prior delivered a determined performance to remind everyone of his abilities as England Lions pressed on towards a major lead against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl.

Dropped more for his errors behind the stumps than his ability with the bat following the pre-Christmas tour to Sri Lanka, the Sussex wicketkeeper knows he faces a tough battle to regain his place following the success of Tim Ambrose in New Zealand.

But he maintained a successful start to the summer by hitting 47 to help England Lions claim a 282-run lead by reaching 275 for five at the close of the third day.

Having failed in the first innings, Prior knew he needed to make an impression in the second if he was to convince the selectors he was still the next in line should injury or a loss of form befall Ambrose.

Arriving at the crease with the Lions on 151 for three, Prior showed great determination to help them overcome the freak end to opener Michael Carberry’s innings - he was stretchered off after injuring his right hamstring celebrating his century - and steady the innings.

Prior hit six boundaries in his 79-ball innings before falling to off-spinner Jeetan Patel, trapped lbw attempting a slog sweep, but did enough to catch the attention of watching selector James Whitaker and put his name forward for future selection.

The day had begun in frustrating fashion for the Lions, who had been expected to wrap up New Zealand’s innings quickly at the start of the day when they resumed 19 runs adrift on 261 for nine with Chris Martin, one of the least effective tail-enders in world cricket, at the crease.

But Martin resisted England’s efforts for 45 minutes as New Zealand crawled slowly towards parity with opener Aaron Redmond, who had resumed on 139, growing in confidence in his partner to such an extent he stopped shielding him from the strike.

England appeared set on a policy of short-pitched bowling which both the New Zealand batsmen handled without much trouble, although the partnership should have ended several overs earlier.

Redmond had added only one run to his overnight 139 when he attempted an upper cut to a short delivery from Durham seamer Graham Onions and was missed in the gully by Adil Rashid.

The New Zealand opener added a further six runs to his total before Onions gained some consolation for that miss by winning an lbw appeal to end the innings in the 10th over of the morning and earn the Lions a seven-run first innings lead.

Lions captain Rob Key drove his side forward when they began their reply with a succession of boundaries, but fell lbw to all-rounder Jacob Oram just as lunch approached.

But opener Carberry was determined not to allow New Zealand, who were denied the services of seamer Iain O’Brien because of a calf strain, back into the match and resisted in painstaking fashion.

He took 127 balls to reach his half-century, but once past the milestone appeared to open out and progressed from 50 to a hundred in just 57 balls, hitting 13 fours and a six on his way to three figures.

By then he had already lost Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara, who both fell to Martin, but in celebrating his century Carberry leapt in the air and came down clutching his right leg.

Minutes later he signalled for treatment and after the arrival of medical staff was eventually stretchered off the field knowing he had probably secured his place in history among cricket’s most bizarre injuries.

Luke Wright attempted to give the innings fresh impetus following Carberry’s undignified exit but was given lbw to seamer Tim Southee after hitting two fours and a six in his quickfire 15.

Prior fell in disappointing circumstances with his half-century in sight, but by then the Lions had stretched their lead enough to ensure an uncomfortable time for the tourists on their final day of competitive cricket before Thursday’s opening Test at Lord’s.