• England v West Indies, 3rd Test, Edgbaston

Davies called up as cover for Prior

ESPNcricinfo staff
June 6, 2012
Steven Davies' recent England appearances have been limited to the occasional warm-up match © Getty Images
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Steven Davies, the Surrey wicketkeeper, has been drafted into the England squad for the third Test against West Indies after Matt Prior picked up an eye infection.

Davies, who was playing in the County Championship against Sussex at Horsham and will leave at the close of play, will be released on Thursday morning if Prior is passed fit. He has yet to play Test cricket but has been the reserve Test keeper of the last two years for series against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

He has played eight one-day internationals and five Twenty20s with his most recent appearance coming against Australia in Perth last February during the one-day series where he found out he had been left out of the World Cup squad in favour of Prior.

Davies' call-up comes despite England having Jonny Bairstow, who keeps wicket for Yorkshire, in the side to face West Indies. Bairstow is the regular wicketkeeper for England Lions, but this decision suggests the management feel he is not ready for the role in a Test match or they do not want to burden him with another task while he is trying to forge a place as a batsman.

Prior has played 39 consecutive Tests, not missing a match since he flew home from the Caribbean during the 2009 tour for the birth of his child and skipping the Barbados Test. On that occasion Tim Ambrose, the Warwickshire wicketkeeper, took his place.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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