It looked like he had been passed over in favour of his former team-mate Matt Prior. Not quite. Tim Ambrose is England’s surprise choice for the wicketkeeper’s spot in the squad for New Zealand
Andrew Miller05-Jan-2008
England’s new No. 7 is a keeper first and foremost © Getty Images
Tim Ambrose and Matt Prior have been friends and rivals ever sincethey first played together at Sussex in the summer of 2001, but deepdown they always knew that, as two men competing for the samewicketkeeping position, one of them would have to win out in the end.In the summer of 2005, when Ambrose packed his bags and left forWarwickshire after two difficult seasons in Prior’s shadow, it lookedas though the argument had finally been settled. At Lord’s on Friday,however, the tables were turned in spectacular fashion.”I’m a little bit surprised but thrilled,” said Ambrose, afterlearning that he had been earmarked for a Test debut at Prior’sexpense, when England begin their three-match series against NewZealand on March 5. “I’m a little bit numb and for now I’m justletting it sink in before focusing on the job. Matt and I have alwayshad a healthy competition – I wouldn’t call it a rivalry because he’sa good friend of mine, so I feel for him and I’m sure he’ll be verydisappointed at the moment.”Prior’s performances in Sri Lanka were wholehearted but sadly flawed,with the nadir coming at Galle where he dropped three crucial chances,all diving to his right. Despite his undoubted success with the bat -he has averaged in excess of 40 in his first ten Tests – those missestook his tally for the year into double figures. For the selectors whoare still intent on finding a long-term successor to Alec Stewart, itis a catalogue of errors that cannot be ignored any longer.Mind you, Prior has never pretended that wicketkeeping was his firstlove – batting was always No. 1 for him, and he only stumbled on thekeeping role by accident as a teenager, when a junior team-mate failedto turn up for a match. Ambrose, on the other hand, presents himselfas a gloveman first and foremost. “I’ve always kept since the firstgame I played, so it’s always been a major, major part of my game,” hesaid. “I take a lot of pride in it, and I thoroughly enjoy it. It’s why I play the game.”A glance at the bald statistics would tend to tell the same tale.Ambrose has managed just four first-class centuries in seven seasons,and none at all in his final three years at Sussex. In 2003, the yearin which the county secured their first Championship title, he playeda vital role with 931 runs and a top score of 93 not out, but in 2004and 2005 his form fell away as Prior seized the role of top dog. “Weknew from a long way out that one of us would have to go elsewhere totry and pursue our dreams,” said Ambrose. “The opportunity came up forme at Warwickshire and I received good support in making that move.Sussex were very helpful and understood the situation, and it’s workedout well for us.”It wasn’t, however, the first time that Ambrose had upped sticks tofurther his career. He was born and brought up in New South Wales,the son of an English mother and Australian father, but at the age of17 made a leap of faith and emigrated to England. “I had playedjunior levels for NSW U17s, but I always felt the opportunity to keepwicket and bat in that situation was against my favour, so when theopportunity came up to come over here I grabbed it.”Ambrose sent off letters to various counties asking for a trial, andreceived replies from Hampshire and Sussex, with whom he spent hisfirst three days in England after landing from Sydney. “My trialstarted the morning after I got off the plane, so it was a prettyshotgun thing,” he said. “I was looking to explore the world really,and experience new things, and also to play some cricket. In thatfirst year Sussex asked me to play and offered me a contract, andobviously I’d have to be a fool to pass up. It’s resulted in me havinga great life here for the last seven or eight years.”The Ashes are looming in 2009, and are the obvious target for everyEnglish cricketer with international aspirations, but Ambrose insistedthere would be no conflict of allegiance if he ever got the chance toplay. “I’ve lived all my adult life here, and this is my home,” hesaid. “All my friends are here, and I haven’t even been to Australiafor a few years. I’ll be very pleased and proud to have opportunity torepresent my country.”My mother and all her family were born in England and went toAustralia to seek opportunities,” he added. “She was fairly young,around 15 or 16, so it’s similar to the age I was when I came backhere. I’ve spoken to quite a few of them this morning, as they’ve beenvery supportive of me for the last seven or eight years.”The Ashes are looming in 2009, and are the obvious target for everyEnglish cricketer with international aspirations, but Ambrose, who was born in New South Wales, insistedthere would be no conflict of allegiance if he ever got the chance toplayHow equipped for success is Ambrose likely to be? If any manshould know, it would have to be England’s head coach, Peter Moores,the man who offered that Sussex contract back in 2001. “I’m a big fanof Peter, as everyone who’s worked with him is,” said Ambrose. “He’san excellent manager and coach, and he’ll be great to help with mykeeping, confidence, and every aspect of the game. I’m very muchlooking forward to reuniting with him.”It was to Moores that Ambrose turned when he realised his time atSussex was running out. “He was very supportive, because he realisedthat it was going to be the case for one of us,” said Ambrose.”Obviously he wanted to make sure that whichever one of us did makethe move, it was the right thing to do, at the right time and theright place. I spent five or six years under his guidance, and Iattribute a lot of my success and learning experience in the earlypart of my career to him.”And yet, because of Prior’s claims, Moores was never able to offerAmbrose a long-term role as wicketkeeper. Judging by the drama of thisselection, he still hasn’t quite made up his mind. Once again, thespotlight is set to burn furiously on England’s latest No. 7 when theNew Zealand series gets underway.
