Sussex coach says media have ‘mercilessly hunted’ Prior

Sussex County Cricket Club coach Mark Robinson believes the media have ‘mercilessly hunted’ England wicketkeeper Matt Prior and made his job a difficult one.
Matt PriorMatt Prior
Matt Prior

Prior announced that he would be stepping down from international duty for the remainder of the summer due to injury, earlier this week.

The 32-year-old Sussex player’s decision came after England’s second Test defeat by India at Lords on Monday.

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Robinson praised the wicketkeeper’s attitude, but be lives the media are having a negative effect on both Prior and England captain Alastair Cook.

He said: “Matt’s a warrior, isn’t he. The amount of test matches back-to-back has took its toll on him, it’s getting increasingly difficult. The media have hunted him mercilessly, and made his position and Alistair Cook’s job very, very difficult for any player to do.

“With Matt carrying the injuries, he’s done a bit too much and it’s he’s done the right thing to pull out and as you said he’s a proud man and the moment he feels he can’t do himself justice and keep his high standard, so he’s done the right thing.

“Everybody scrutinises every move he does, I think it’s impossible for him to do his job – as it is for the England captain – every move they make is under enormous pressure.

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“But physically, obviously, he’s carrying [an injury], isn’t he, he’s not been in the best of health.”

Prior is now not expected to play any form of cricket again this summer to undergo surgery on a long-standing Achilles problem but Prior has also revealed that he has also struggled with thigh and hand injuries.

Speaking at Horsham, where Sussex are in County Championship action, Robinson added: “As he said in his interview, he’ll take stock and then hopefully come back and be strong and get himself available for the test matches in the West Indies in April.

“Matt’s a warrior, he’s a tough guy – for him to say ‘enough’s enough’, he must be hurting, and as I say, he can take stock of himself and do what he needs to do on his Achilles and his thigh, and whatever else he’s got, and get himself ready to pop his name properly in the ring for that West Indies Tour which that’s what he’ll be zoning in on.”

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