Melbourne, Aug 8 : England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has thanked Australia for delaying the toss for 10 minutes to allow him to play in fourth Test at Headingley.

Prior collapsed with back spasms before play, and conceded he could not have taken his spot if Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had not agreed to put back the toss.

“Very honestly I probably would not have been able to play. That extra 10 minutes I was obviously very thankful for and it was very good of the Aussies to agree to that. That extra time allowed me to play,” Prior said.

“I had doing my normal warm-ups and had a back spasm. I came straight off the pitch, I was in the physio room until even when the toss was going on,” The Courier Mail quoted him, as saying.

Ponting was returning the favour from the third Test when England allowed reserve wicketkeeper Graham Manou to play when Brad Haddin broke his finger just before play.

With Prior sidelined only an hour before play - and all but ruled out - England had started a series of frantic telephone calls to try to find a wicketkeeper. (ANI)