Former England captain Michael Vaughan says Zak Crawley can be frustrating to watch but believes England should continue to back the opener. Crawley started the final Ashes Test as England’s top run-scorer in the series but was dismissed for 16 on the first morning in Sydney after changing his batting stance. He was given out lbw after playing across a straight ball from Australia’s Michael Neser.
Speaking on the Test Match Special podcast, Vaughan said Crawley looks like a very good player but often gets out to balls he should deal with better, suggesting his concentration is the main problem.
Crawley had a mixed Ashes series. He scored 76 and 44 in Brisbane, 85 in Adelaide, and a vital 37 in Melbourne that helped England win their first Test in Australia in 15 years. However, he also struggled at times, including a pair in the opening Test in Perth.
Vaughan said Crawley’s big shots outside off stump have improved, but his focus still lets him down. Despite averaging just 30.82 after 103 Test innings as an opener, Vaughan believes Crawley has the ability to average much higher.
He insists England should stick with Crawley, saying there is “a lot more in the tank” and that better concentration could help him reach an average of 40 to 45 over the next few years.
