Prior fires the runs as gloveman gets back into contention for England

The Sussex wicketkeeper was so shaken at missing out on the tour of New Zealand that he considered giving up the gloves to concentrate purely on his batting - and that may still be an option for the 26-year-old.

What do I have to do? Matt Prior of Sussex, pictured during the Friends Provident Trophy match between Surrey and Sussex, is the top run scorer this season

But with England's selectors preparing to name their squad for a Twenty20 match and five full one-day internationals against the Kiwis, it is Prior's form on both sides of the stumps that will be re-examined ahead of tomorrow's announcement.

Despite averaging just 21 from 22 ODI appearances, it was a broken thumb last September that eventually cost Prior his place in the limited-overs team.

Then a poor Test match in Sri Lanka before Christmas saw him dumped altogether.

Lion down: England batsman Matt Prior is bowled by Chaminda Vaas during day three of the final Test Match between Sri Lanka and England at Galle

Far from suffering a hangover, Prior has made a flying start to this season - where he leads the scoring charts with 582 runs - and is not only putting pressure on last winter's one-day keeper, Phil Mustard, but also installing himself as the leading rival to his Test successor, Tim Ambrose.

England took a shine to Mustard last winter but, like Prior, the Durham keeper has found that opening in international cricket is tough work.

As for the Test team, Ambrose looks secure but if England opt for an extra bowler than batsman, then Prior would be right back in the frame.

The selectors will let Andrew Flintoff set his sights on the summer's second Test series against South Africa while he still recovers from a side strain.