Matt Prior has claimed that England should resist the temptation to move Jos Buttler up the batting order in one-day international cricket.

There has been pressure on England to promote Buttler in an attempt to score quicker in the early stages of innings, but Prior believes that his fellow wicketkeeper should be trusted to carry the team over the line.

"He is the finisher that England want and need in the engine room of the batting line-up – he has shown that with his 60s and 70s off 30 and 40 balls towards the end of an innings," Prior, who has fallen behind Buttler in the pecking order in all formats, told Sky Sports News.

"You want a player of Jos's ability to be in the situation that suits him best and, for me, that is in the last 10 or 15 overs.

"He can wreak havoc in that period so you don't want him in too early playing that rebuilding role when we've got players like Ravi Bopara who can go in and do that."

Buttler and England will attempt to chase down 240 when the interrupted fourth ODI against Sri Lanka resumes on Thursday.