The first LBW out on the fifth ball of England’s second innings was successfully overturned at height after Crawley got down the ground. Henry then pinned Crawley in front with his last ball of the day. Umpire Adrian Holdstock’s finger went up again and Crawley once again called for DRS, but this time the umpire’s call had the leg stump clipped slightly.
Crawley’s return was perhaps the first time that the pain endured over the past few weeks spilled over onto the field. Holdstock had some choice words and a meeting with match referee David Boon could end a disappointing tour for the opener.
His series ended with only 52 runs at an average of 8.66 in six innings. No other England opening batsman has batted so many times in a single series and averaged so low. It has been a rocky winter for Crawley’s career average, factor in his 139 runs at 27.80 on the Pakistan tour. After rising to 33 after the first West Indies Test in the summer, it has fallen to 30.51 following strong performances in the 2023 Ashes (480 runs at 53.33) and the series in India in early 2024 (407 runs at 407).
The England management has long shielded Crawley from criticism, citing a firm belief that he is capable of playing otherwise mundane innings against the world’s best teams. His performance against Australia last year, hitting a four off the first ball of the series off Pat Cummins and a brilliant 189 as one of three fifty-plus scores in the fourth Test, vindicated his stance.
This is a stance that is particularly consistent with India and Australia on the 2025 programme. Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick reiterated his support for Crawley, as well as expressing sympathy for his struggles as a former opening batsman.
“It’s always hard when someone takes over on you, and you find it really challenging and you have to make plans,” Trescothick said. “There were similar situations during my time when I was playing against other opponents.
“You go away when you get the chance, which he has now, to try and think about it before we come up against each other next time.
“I think the important part of it is to remember that we’re very focused on him being the starting batter for a good while to come. We’ve seen how much damage he does and how he goes about it.” Is.
“I don’t want to tell you too much about how he acts in the changing room because it’s our private area… but he’s a strong character. Although it’s challenging when it happens, when someone Pump takes control, it’s hard, but he’ll find a way and we’ll help him find a way to get back to that point.”
Trescothick also confirmed that Crawley’s poor form had nothing to do with the fractured finger he suffered in the third Test against the West Indies, which ruled him out of the Sri Lanka series at the end of the summer. Yet, he has scored only 191 runs in 11 innings since then.
England will not play Test cricket again until May, with the only Test coming against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, in which he believes Crawley will emerge from his slump. He will return home after this tour and then travel to South Africa to play Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20, which starts on January 9. Free-spirited white-ball cricket could be what they need to get out of their funk.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
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