Decision to promote Pietersen is positive: Matt Prior

Kushan Sarkar

Nagpur, Feb 20 (PTI) Matt Prior has had to give up on hisopening slot due to Kevin Pietersen''s elevation in the Englandbatting line-up but the wicketkeeper is not complaining as hefeels it is a "positive move" to send his aggressive teammateup the order.

"It''s a positive move. Wickets in the sub-continent wouldsuit him. If KP is up and running, he can take the game awayfrom any opposition. If he can bat for 30 overs, he will scorebig and the team''s score will be even bigger," Prior toldreporters during an interaction at the team hotel today.

England will take on Netherlands in their opening groupencounter here on Tuesday.

As far as Prior''s own batting slot is concerned, he said,"From my point also, it is a positive move. I love playing thespinners and I love batting in the middle overs. It wasn''t thecase that I wasn''t good enough to open. Middle overs will bevery important in the World Cup and I am comfortable in my newrole. I have been in good nick."

However, the soon-to-be 29 glovesman reiterated that hewas comfortable even while opening but "just didn''t get thosescores away which has been frustrating. I still believe that Ican do a good job if I again open the innings."

"The frustration for me was getting out on 67 vsAustralia (in Adelaide, the only ODI England won Down Under).

I was playing well and could''ve got a big score. If you got abig 130 or something like that and then suddenly those twonought (in Hobart and Sydney) prior to the half century wouldhave become irrelevant. When you get in you got to make sureyou play that innings that wins the game," he added.

Although he is coming down the order to accommodatePietersen, Prior is being seen as someone who would be doingwhat Eoin Morgan has done for England. To keep up the tempoand finish games.

"I have told other guys that it scares me. There is alot of responsibility of finishing games. I don''t think anyonecan replace Eoin Morgan. He has been a phenomenal player forEngland at that time. But I will certainly give it a good go.

I enjoy the new responsibility of trying to finish or set-upgames." .