Jack Russell has questioned Matt Prior's position as first-choice England wicketkeeper for the Ashes.

The former Gloucestershire gloveman, who played 54 Tests between 1988 and 1996, feels Essex's James Foster should be behind the stumps when the hotly anticipated series gets underway in Cardiff tomorrow.

Prior boasts an impressive Test batting average of 48.4 from 18 matches, and could well be asked to fill the number six slot for the hosts given the uncertainties over Andrew Flintoff's form and fitness.

But Russell fears the Sussex man's inferior keeping skills could come back to haunt the England selectors.

"The best wicketkeeper at the moment is Foster – he has been the best keeper for two or three years now," said Russell.

"I'm pleased he has got into the (England) Twenty20 team. I think he showed in a couple of those games what an important position it is.

"I would always play the best keeper, there's no two ways about it, because you need to get Ricky Ponting out, you need to get Mike Hussey out. You need to get the best players out.

"Taking your chances is absolutely critical. If you want to take 20 wickets, which is what you need to do to win a Test match, chances have got to be taken."

The fiercely patriotic Russell is tipping England to lift the urn on August 24 following a tight series, but feels that can be achieved with a specialist wicketkeeper.

"Foster is certainly the best keeper but England may gamble a bit," he said.

"Hopefully Prior's keeping will be up to standard – he's a good keeper, he can do the job. He's not in Foster's class but he is a frontline batsman.

"I just hope it's a great series, and I'm sure it will be, although it's going to be almost impossible to match the drama of 2005 over here.

"Australia seem less brash and confident than in the past – nobody from their camp has gone down the Glenn McGrath road of predicting a 5-0 whitewash.

"The teams certainly look evenly matched and I'm backing us to edge it, maybe 2-1."