England Academy director Rod Marsh believes Sussex's Matt Prior is capable of playing international cricket - as a batsman.

Marsh, who is also an England selector, handed Prior a glowing report when the Academy squad broke up at the end of last week after six months which culminated in a tour of India when only Nottinghamshire's prolific Kevin Pietersen finished above the 22-year-old in the batting averages.

Now Prior hopes to start the new season a couple of places up the Sussex order and he has plenty of incentive to perform after Marsh praised his batting and close-to-the-wicket fielding.

"Matt is one hell of a good fieldsman," said Marsh. "I haven't discounted the possibility of him playing one-day international cricket as a batsman because in the ring there are very few who would cover more ground, get to the ball and get rid of it quicker and dive better than Matt.

"He's one of the best fieldsmen I've ever seen and he takes pride in it. He shouldn't give away his keeping, but if he bats at four or five for Sussex this year and gets 2,000 runs then, as a young player, he would have to be considered as a batsman.

"Often at selection meetings you talk about taking a second 'keeper. But then we might say 'hang on a minute, what about Prior?' We would like him in the side as a batsman and that would allow us to take another bowler."

Prior had kept regularly for the county in both Championship and one-day cricket since making his debut in 2001, but Tim Ambrose took over wicketkeeping duties in the middle of last season in both formats.

Prior got over his disappointment by scoring more than 1,000 runs batting at No. 7 to help Sussex win their first Championship.

He met director of cricket Peter Moores and skipper Chris Adams yesterday to discuss his role in the side and they are likely to encourage him to move up the order.

Prior said: "I'm not going to drop wicketkeeping. I will work hard to keep it going, but if I'm honest my choice would be to bat up the order.

"I spoke with Rod last week before the Academy broke up and he believes that my best route into international cricket is as a batsman. I'll take whatever route it takes because I'm very ambitious to play for my country and if I want to do that I can't really be going in at seven as a specialist batter."

Prior proved he could perform higher up the order on the sub-continent when he averaged more than 60 in England A's four-day matches against some quality seam and spin bowlers.

Marsh was certainly impressed. "Matt came through well with the bat. He was disappointed he didn't get a couple of hundreds which he probably should have done. He played the spinners exceptionally well."

It was another tough experience for Prior, but not surprisingly he relished the challenge.

"There were some brilliant spinners, as you'd expect in India, but the seamers were outstanding as well," he said.

"Because the wickets out there were so flat the seamers had to work hard to get wickets. There was reverse swing and lots of changes of pace."

Prior admits it was hard work behind the stumps on the sub-continent although Marsh, a former wicketkeeper himself, was encouraged by his performance in the final tour match.

Now, after a few days off, Prior is relishing the start of the new domestic season.

"I love playing for Sussex and I'd bat anywhere, but hopefully I can establish myself in the top five," he added.

"But no one in our squad is assured of a place. I've still got to get some runs and have a good pre-season so that is my first aim."