Last Updated on 1 year by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Zak Crawley predicts an England win by 150 runs at Lord’s | Ashes 2023 Lord’s Test prediction: Crawley has his say
England opener Zak Crawley believes his team will comfortably win the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. Speaking to Times Radio, Crawley said the surface will suit England more compared to the docile surface of Edgbaston, with Ollie Robinson and James Anderson asking for more assistance following Australia’s thrilling two-run win.
“I think we will win,” he said. “I think it will suit us a bit more, that pitch. So I think we’ll win by, I don’t know, 150 runs?”
We’re about entertainment – Zak Crawley
Crawley echoed Ollie Robinson’s statement for wisden.com where Brendon McCullum praised the team for their performance in a game they felt like they had won. The opener said that despite the defeat at Edgbaston, the effect it has had on Test cricket is the team’s ultimate goal.
“That’s why we took [this loss] better than other losses perhaps, because it was great for the game,” Crawley said. “I think Sky had record viewing figures, Test Match Special had record listening figures, so this week was a great week for cricket and that’s what we’re all about.
“We’re not about results. We always talk about that. We’re not about winning or losing: we’re about entertainment. Of course, we’re there to win and it helps our brand and what we’re trying to do. If we win, we get more traction.”
Crawley will be aiming to improve on his Test average, with his 61 in the first innings of the first Test the kind of innings the team wants from him.
“You don’t feel that pressure when you’re out there. The pressure is more when you’re playing for your team-mates and our jobs as openers and top-order batsmen is to set the tone. And so the pressure I feel is I’ve got to get off to a good start and a quick start for my team,” he said.
The second Test begins on Wednesday June 28. It is crucial England avoid defeat at the very least to ensure they have the best possible shot at regaining the coveted Ashes urn which they have not held since 2017.
