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We are confident we can level the series: Prior

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S. Subramanium

CONFIDENT: England’s Matt Prior, seen during the practice session at the PCA stadium, feels England can pull it off at Mohali.

Mohali: England’s batsman-keeper Matthew Prior dwelt on being a part of a historic Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

On Sachin Tendulkar’s match-winning, unbeaten hundred, he said, “He is an awesome player and it was a fantastic knock. It’s among the best knocks I have seen.”

England, he maintained, here on Wednesday, would not allow the defeat to work on its mind ahead of the second Test beginning Friday.

Prior looked back at the Mumbai Test of 2006 where the Englishmen levelled the series in the final match. That was England’s last Test tour of India.

Disappointing

Prior admitted it was greatly disappointing to lose from a “really good position.” He added quickly, “but the games come thick and fast now so you dust yourselves down and crack on.”

He said England would take much confidence from the effort at Chepauk. “Obviously we would have wanted to win but we have come to Mohali as a confident unit that can level the series.”

Reflecting on the atmosphere in the England dressing room after the defeat in the first Test, he said, “it was very warm and very humid and to play five days of intense Test cricket and then to come out on the wrong side of the result is hugely deflating. It was a pretty quiet changing room at the end of it.”

Prior, like coach Peter Moores, backed Panesar to deliver in the second Test.

“Monty will admit that he can probably bowl better but he was bowling at some fantastic players of spin.

“He is still learning his trade and we have no doubt about his ability. It’s only a matter of time before he wins games again for England.”

Moores said Panesar lacked match-practice going into the first Test. Prior, himself, had a good Test with the willow in Chennai but his glove-work was patchy.

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