Prior backs Root to help England exact revenge for 'unprovoked' Oz attack by winning Ashes

England vice-captain Matt Prior has backed rising batting star Joe Root to not only rise to the occasion for England in the Ashes, but also help his team exact revenge for the unprovoked attack on him by Australian batsman David Warner.

According to the Mirror, the Yorkshire starlet, who was mixed up in the Warner bar-brawl saga has been promoted to open the batting alongside captain Alastair Cook in the warm-up match against Essex, adding that only injury will stop him from doing the same in the first Test at Trent Bridge.

Terming Root as a natural opener, Prior said that he is confident that Root, who has also opened in Yorkshire, will help contribute to a fine performance from England and retain the urn, adding that a victory would be the fittest form of revenge against the Australians for the unprovoked attack.

According to Prior, it was inevitable that some stage he would end up opening for England, adding that he has faith on Root and hopes that something like the punching incident does happen again during the Ashes.

Stating that the incident was a ridiculous thing to happen, Prior further said that England would take their revenge on the field by concentrating on their game and winning the series.

Meanwhile, the report said that as Root had been dismissed twice in the last three Tests by the first ball of that second new cherry, it has lead to suggestions that promoting him from his successful stint in the middle order so soon could be a gamble.

However, Prior has dismissed the suggestions, saying that he is confident that Root has both the technical and mental ability and temperament to succeed at the top of the order, adding he has had a phenomenal start in international cricket.

Although Prior has his own work cut out this Ashes series and is just a broken finger away from leading the team against Australia, he, however, has said that he feels that he is ready for the series.