Strauss reveals pane of Prior’s broken window

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England captain Andrew Strauss insisted Matt Prior was “genuinely contrite” after he broke a window in the Lord’s Pavilion during the drawn second test against Sri Lanka.

Prior found himself apologising to a female spectator who suffered a minor cut to her ankle after shattered glass fell into the seating area below England’s dressing room. The incident came soon after Prior had been run out as England went in search of quick runs to set up a final day declaration here on Tuesday. “It was a genuine accident,” Strauss said after a draw that left England 1-0 up in this three match series ahead of this month’s finale at the Rose Bowl. “I was out on the balcony, but a lot of the guys in there saw it, and he wasn’t meaning to throw anything at the window.

“So from our point of view, the case is closed.” Strauss, who accompanied Prior downstairs to apologise to the injured spectator, added: “I think he felt pretty contrite about it.” I don’t think he quite realised at the time that there were people below him. Then suddenly when it hit home and you think about what could happen it hits you pretty hard.”

“He wanted to go down there and apologise, it was the right thing to do and thankfully no-one was seriously injured. I think they appreciated the fact he apologised.” It’s not a great situation really. I’m not going to be encouraging my players to be breaking windows in a hurry. I didn’t realise at the time that it was a pure accident. He put his bat down right next to the window, and it bounced off the other bat and hit the window.” It was an unfortunate thing, and important that he apologised to the people down below because it potentially could have been quite dangerous.

“We’re always annoyed when we get out, especially when we get run out,” opening batsman Strauss said of an incident that threatened to be better remembered than wicket-keeper prior’s first innings hundred. “But I don’t think that was the reason the window broke. As I said, it was a complete accident.”