Former England batter Sir Geoffrey Boycott has lashed out at Zak Crawley after the English opener once again failed to deliver in the third Test match against India at Lord’s. Crawley could not turn his form as he returned with scores of 18 and 22.
The lanky batter has scored 121 runs in three Test matches of the ongoing series at an average of 21.33. Crawley hasn’t been able to deliver the goods for the home team, barring scoring a crucial knock of 65 runs in the second innings of the opening Test at Leeds, Headingley in the run-chase of 371.
Crawley has a Test average of 30.89 and Boycott reckons the England batter hasn’t learned much despite playing 57 Test matches.
Geoffrey Boycott wrote in his column for the Telegraph, “How many more chances is Crawley going to get? He has learned nothing in his 57 Tests. A waft in the first innings caught behind and a front-foot drive in the second innings to a wide sucker ball caught at gully. It was just a replay of too many of his dismissals. Time to go. Five hundreds and an average of 31 is not good enough.”
Boycott noted that Crawley will have his work cut out against the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins in the Ashes.
“Most opposition bowlers can’t wait to get their sweaters off to bowl at him. Can you imagine what the Australian seamers are thinking about this winter’s Ashes series? If Starc doesn’t get you, Hazlewood and Cummins will.”
On the other hand, Ollie Pope returned with scores of 44 and 4 in the Lord’s Test, and Boycott reckons England’s vice-captain has done better than Zak Crawley.
He concluded, “I hear and read comments about dropping Ollie Pope and replacing him with Jacob Bethell. Pope has done better for England than Crawley. Ollie was Stokes’ personal choice at three. At the time, number four was taken by Joe Root and number six by the captain so not many options. Early on the captain and coach sold Bazball to all the players and Ollie seems to have bought into it 100 per cent and is so keen to show he is a disciple. Perhaps he feels he must play positive and aggressively or he won’t keep his place.”
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.
