Former England skipper Michael Vaughan slammed opener Zak Crawley after his first-innings dismissal in the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at Sydney on Sunday. Crawley was plumbed before the wickets by Michael Neser after he scored 16 runs.
Vaughan said Crawley frustrates the life out of him after the right-hander was dismissed cheaply in the first innings of the final Test. Crawley has scored 272 runs in nine innings of the ongoing Ashes at an average of 30.22
“Zak Crawley frustrates the life out of me. His concentration levels are not the strongest. If you go to the start of the series where he played the big booming drives, those drives have gone away now. He’s not chasing the ball outside off stump,” said Vaughan to BBC’s Test Match Special podcast.
“But today I was watching him and that should not get you out as a quality opening batter,” said Vaughan, critical of Crawley’s batting.
Crawley played across a straight ball from Neser and could not make any connection with the bat.
“He looks such a good player – and then just gets out,” said Vaughan. “The ball that got him out should not have got him out. It was just a ball which nipped back slightly and he played it too square on the on side. There must be something in his concentration.”
Vaughan noted that Crawley’s Test average of 30 doesn’t justify the skills and talent he has, which is frustrating for English cricket.
“I hear fans around the world saying Crawley averages 30, but there’s a bigger average in him than he’s giving at the moment,” said Vaughan. “It’s just concentration. I know there is a lot more in the tank and I do think England have to stay with him. The movement he had today was fantastic but he needs to understand the concentration levels required at this kind of level to go on and average 40 to 45 over the course of the next two or three years. I think he could do if he can find that concentration,” he said.
England were bowled out for 384, whereas Australia ended the second day’s play at 166-2, trailing the visitors’ total by 218 runs.
