SUSSEX coach Mark Robinson has accused England’s selectors of putting too much pressure on Matt Prior.

Prior arrives at Lord’s today to prepare for the first Test against West Indies on Wednesday having been left out of the squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup with James Foster of Essex getting a call-up six years after his last England appearance.

Robinson said: “I feel for Matt. It feels to me that the England selectors always want to make it hard for him.

“They always want to keep as much pressure as they can on him.

“At some point they have got to back him and allow him to play with a bit of freedom and security instead of constantly being in the goldfish bowl.”

Prior scored 140 as Sussex drew their rain-ruined LV County Championship match with Hampshire at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

Robinson added: “England will do what England will do but he will go to Lord’s in good form. He fought really hard for his hundred and he will have enjoyed having plenty of time in the middle.”

Prior will be missing when Sussex take on champions Durham at Hove on Wednesday but they will have Luke Wright available after he helped England Lions beat West Indies on Saturday, the day after he was included in the World Cup squad.

That could be the only change although off-spinner Ollie Rayner is back in contention following a poisoned elbow.

The seam attack looks like staying the same after Ragheb Aga recovered from his first innings mauling against Hampshire when he conceded nearly five runs an over with 0-37 from 13 in the second when he was unlucky not to take two or three wickets.

Robinson added: “Rags was pretty low after Wednesday (17-0-82-1) and it’s not a nice place to be when you have had a day like that. He felt he had let himself and his team-mates down.

“He came back well on Saturday but what he knows is that he has got to be able to produce that again and again whether it’s in practice, the seconds or first-team cricket.

“He has great skills and a wrist action to die for – he’s a very talented cricketer. But he is no different to any of our other youngsters, he has to find that consistency.”

The loss of more than 100 overs spread over two days meant there was no chance of a positive result on Saturday but skipper Mike Yardy saw signs of progress after three successive defeats at the start of the season.

As well as Prior’s 140, Damien Wright made 42 at No. 9 and when they bowled the captain was able to give Chris Nash and Rory Hamilton-Brown extended spells of off-spin and both picked up a wicket as Hampshire reached 127-2 before the players shook hands.

Yardy said: “We could have bowled better in the first innings when we let them get a few too many but Matt played a quality innings in difficult conditions.

“There are certain areas which we need to improve on but we are doing some things well. I feel we are getting close to winning games.

“In all the matches so far we have got ourselves into good positions with the bat and ball. It might be down to a bit of inexperience but the key thing is that we don’t keep making mistakes. Once we win a game I think we can get on a roll which will breed confidence.”

Jason Lewry is bowling again as he recovers from glandular fever but Pepler Sandri, who made his second-team debut last week, has been signed off for a week with bronchitis. Chris Liddle (ankle) is still sidelined.

Yasir Arafat arrives at the end of the week and will make his return for the county in next Sunday’s FP Trophy game against Surrey Brown Caps at Hove.

Scores: Hampshire 350-8 dec & 127-2 dec, Sussex 336. Hampshire (11pts) drew with Sussex (9).