Matt Prior Becomes First Casualty Of English Summer

For a while after the England v India Test series it seemed as if Ian Chappell had been personally slighted by Matt Prior, such was the vehemence with which he was arguing for Prior's axing. The English selectors might just have been listening, for Prior has been been omitted from the list of 12 centrally contracted English players.

Nothing has yet been officially uttered by the England management, but one would have to guess that Prior's England career is all but over. I include his ODI career in that last comment, because he simply did not do enough with the bat to warrant his place in the team at the top of the order, especially now that Luke Wright looks to have at least a brief future at the top of the English order.

If nothing else, we will now be spared of that annoying and unnecessary chirping from behind the stumps.