Looking ahead

England flew back from their rather disappointing Test tour of Sri Lanka this morning - how quickly we have forgotten the extraordinary success they had in the one-day series that preceded it, beating the World Cup finalists in their own back yard - and thoughts now turn to part two of the winter: the tour of New Zealand in February and March.

(Incidentally, I disagree with the Times style ruling that sports teams have a "tour to" somewhere instead of a "tour of". Even though tours are truncated these days, players still spend more time in the country than they do getting there, especially in the 50 or so years since teams toured by aircraft rather than boat.)

The squad for the New Zealand tour (there's a style loophole) will be announced in barely a fortnight and is unlikely to be that different from the Sri Lanka 16. Having ducked the chance to give Mark Ramprakash a final chance, the selectors are hardly likely to call him up now. Among the batsmen, the only change will probably be Andrew Strauss to come in, and possibly open, while one of Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah will stay at home. I imagine that after Bopara made little impact bar enthusiasm and good fielding, he will be the one told to head back to Chelmsford and prepare for the county season.

Only three batsmen had sustained success in Sri Lanka: Alastair Cook, who looks composed and impressive once he has got past the first few overs; Ian Bell, who needs to turn his frequent fifties into something bigger; and Matt Prior, who averaged 41 with the bat and looks every bit the part of an Ashes wicketkeeper.

With the bat, that is. How typical that as one part of his job flourishes, the other withers. We had the same with Geraint Jones, who went from being a decent batsman with poor keeping skills to being a half-decent keeper who ended his career (to date) with a string of ducks. Various worthies have been suggesting that Prior should be given the New Zealand tour off, with perhaps James Foster getting a chance to rebuild his career, although this is on the proviso that Prior comes back in the summer, which seems a bit rough on his replacement.

The fact is that Prior has become a liability with the gloves. He may not have got a Christmas card from Ryan Sidebottom after dropping five catches off the shaggy-haired bowler this year, all to his right. In fact, a big problem appears to be that Prior is not comfortable about diving in front of first slip to take the ball, which is something that must be worked on away from the Tests. But does this mean he should be dropped for New Zealand? Surely he needs the confidence boost of being taken on tour at least, with Foster as reserve instead of the luckless Phil Mustard so that it is understood that his glovework has to improve or else a proper keeper will be played.

Elsewhere in the team, Hoggard will travel as the most reliable fast bowler, Harmison will be sent in hope that his patchy form becomes more consistent, Sidebottom will be forgiven his lack of success in Sri Lanka and Anderson and Broad will vie for the fourth bowler's place. I'd back Broad at this stage - he is more likely to play in the Ashes than Harmison and needs game time.

The only main concern apart from Prior's keeping is that Monty Panesar had a poor series and has lost what little variety he had. He has not yet got to the defensive levels of Ashley Giles - he does still turn the ball for a start - but he has been bowling the same flight, same pace from the same place on the crease and became rather predictable. He needs someone to put an arm round his shoulder and say 'we don't mind if your line and length wobbles, just try something different'.

At the moment there are no other spinning options. Graeme Swann will probably go as a non-playing reserve and Adil Rashid has not shone on the England A team tour of India as his fans, myself among them, had hoped. But how about a belated recall for Chris Schofield, the former England leggie who wandered in the wilderness for a few years, playing club cricket until he was picked up by Surrey and flourished last season. Well, Christmas is a time for miracles...