Coach starts with a Prior engagement

On the day the Sussex gloveman, 25, made only three runs as the champions were forced to follow on by Warwickshire at Edgbaston, he learned he had been included in a 25-man England Performance Squad.

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He was jettisoned by England at the end of the one-day series in India a year ago, having failed to make his mark in the course of 12 limited-overs internationals.

However, the new coach will be well aware of his potential.

Prior played under Peter Moores at Sussex and was with him again during the winter as part of the Academy squad in Perth.

Despite being a reluctant keeper, he has long been regarded as a Test prospect on the strength of impressive batting credentials — a first-class average of close to 39 and a top score of 201 not out.

If he is to win the chance to make his five-day debut at at Lord's on May 17, the South African-born player must usurp the evergreen force of nature known as Paul Nixon.

The Leicestershire veteran, 36, is the only other wicketkeeper in the squad and despite not being a man for the future, his stirling displays during the World Cup have given him the right to be considered as a plausible stop-gap in the Test team.

By emerging as the leading challenger, Prior has overtaken Chris Read and Geraint Jones, who have both been damned by association with the 5-0 Ashes drubbing Down Under.

But he will be aware that there are countless other worthy candidates around the country, led by Worcestershire and England A tyro Steven Davies and James Foster of Essex, who already has seven Test caps to his name.

Speaking before his appointment, Moores said: "It's a good time to be a keeper in England. Paul Nixon has done well but he is in the last part of his career so it's not a nailed down slot.

"Nixon is the man in possession but there are a lot of good keepers out there who genuinely bat as well. They need to be passionate about both now.

"I've got a view as to who the keeper should be in the first Test but a lot depends on how they continue their start to the season."

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, acknowledged that there are many aces in the chasing pack, saying:

"The wicketkeeping position remains a competitive area — Nixon and Prior face strong competition from outside of the squad."

It contains 13 players not on central contracts, nine of whom were involved in the World Cup. Of the other four, Prior has been promoted, along with Middlesex batsman Owais Shah — who began the season with 193 and 72 not out against Sussex — Durham seamer Graham Onions and Sussex all-rounder Michael Yardy.

Marcus Trescothick, the Somerset opener, is easing his way back into county cricket again after opting out of the Ashes tour due to the recurrence of a "stress-related illness'.

While Trescothick, 31, has several big scores already this season, he is not clamouring for an international return while his treatment continues.

The fact he appears in the squad is due to his status as a centrally-contracted player, as Graveney confirmed.

He said: "He is a contracted player who is playing, as opposed to Ashley Giles — a contracted player who, unfortunately, isn't playing at the moment.

"Nobody should read anything into the fact that Tres is in this squad — he has said: 'Let's take it slowly' and that is what will happen."