Matt Prior will try to intimidate West Indies and establish himself as England's Test wicketkeeper with his energetic approach.

The 25-year-old Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman is the latest candidate to fill the void left by the retirement of Alec Stewart back in 2003 as someone capable with the gloves who can also score consistent runs at Test level.

Both Geraint Jones and Chris Read have been tried over the last couple of years to limited success and now Prior, who worked closely with new England coach Peter Moores during his time at Sussex and the Academy, has been given his opportunity to succeed.

It is an exciting and daunting prospect for Johannesburg-born Prior, not that any nerves at the occasion are likely to prevent him from being his usual busy and vocal self from behind the stumps.

''I'm naturally fairly outspoken, especially on the pitch, and I do try to give off as much energy as possible,'' stressed Prior.

''That's not necessarily through vocals or sledging or anything like that, there are different ways you can do it but it is part of my game I enjoy and it is something I feel I can be quite good at as well.''

Never regarded as a shrinking violet, Prior has developed a reputation as a player who thrives on confrontation - as Shane Warne among others can testify to during recent seasons in county cricket.

That appetite for the competition is what he intends to bring into his first tentative steps as a Test cricketer regardless of the scale of the occasion at Lord's.

Similar in style and temperament to Leicestershire's Paul Nixon, one of the few players who performed well for England during the ill-fated World Cup campaign, Prior has worked hard enough on his wicketkeeping skills to now regard himself as a dual performer with a first class average of nearly 40.

''I've really put a lot of time into my keeping,'' he confessed. ''Everyone knows that years ago batting was always my first love and I knew I had to work hard at my keeping."