Prior denies challenging ‘annoying’ Siddle to a punch-up following dismissal

PERTH - England wicketkeeper Mathew Prior has denied reports that he had invited Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle to fight outside Perth’s WACA Ground.

The incident reportedly happened when Prior was bowled by Siddle in the first innings of the third Ashes Test, which England eventually lost by 267 runs.

The England wicketkeeper was given a foul-mouthed send-off by Siddle, but as he walked to the pavilion was heard to say: “Come with me… let’s have it right now … let’s go outside right now.”

However, the 28-year-old, in an article for the Independent, insisted that the reported stories were not true.

“Siddle had launched a short-pitched round-the-wicket attack. He got me out - luckily, maybe, as the ball trickled off my body on to the stumps, but out still. As I left he said something which annoyed me. It doesn’t matter what he said but once you have dismissed somebody you have done the job on them,” Prior wrote.

“There are not many boxing matches when a guy knocks someone out and then kicks him while he’s on the floor. That isn’t the way it works. I didn’t enjoy him getting me out, but I don’t think there was a need for him to say anything after that. Having said that I didn’t need to react in the way I did.”

“You might have seen a gesture followed by some words. What has been reported that I said is not true. I didn’t offer to take him into the car park or offer to fight him after the game. I didn’t say anything along those lines. I will stick by the way I play the game. I play it hard on the pitch but that’s where it stays,” he added. (ANI)