Jos Buttler Paid The Price For Lazy Footwork, Feels Matt Prior
Dec 17, 2021 at 12:29 PM
Former England wicketkeeper wasn’t too impressed with Jos Buttler’s keeping on the first day at Adelaide. Notable that Jos Buttler dropped two straightforward chances off Marnus Labuschagne which put Australia on a driving seat at stumps on the first day.
However, Jos Buttler had a brilliant start for the day when he pulled out a stunner down the legside to dismiss Marcus Harris. But since then the things have gone south for him. First, he dropped Marnus Labuschagne at the score of 21 off the bowling of Ben Stokes, then late in the day he dropped another easy chance of him (at 95) off the bowling of James Anderson.
“As a keeper, you want to dive as little as possible”-Matt Prior
Talking to Daily Mail, the former English keeper raised questions over Buttler’s keeping technique. Prior believes that a keeper need not dive too much if his footwork is correct.
“Everyone thinks it’s the hands that get you the catch. It’s not, it’s your footwork and your hands follow. There were a couple of takes where Jos had a dive, that’s lazy wicketkeeping. You want to dive as little as possible. Because I did the job myself, I watch the keeper very closely and there were just little clues. As a keeper, you want to dive as little as possible. You get that one chance and that’s what you’re judged on.” Matt Prior said.
Earlier the legendary wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist also raised eyebrows over Buttler’s technique. However Prior lauded Buttler’s effort to dismiss Marcus Harris.
“There was a great take down the legside to start things off and Jos did that by taking an initial step and then stepping again to give himself a really good foundation. The amount of ground he covered was exceptional. But with the first drop, he got stuck. He didn’t get a big enough step in and then he wasn’t able to go again. He threw his hands at the ball because he’d only covered half the ground of the first catch.” he added further.
On a slow-going first day, Australia held the upper hand with a score of 221/2 in 89 overs. Noteworthy that England hadn’t won a single Ashes Test in the last 10 years in Australia.