Opener Zak Crawley defended Ollie Pope after refuted suggestions that England’s No 3 could lose his place after another early dismissal in the second innings of the third Ashes Test against Australia.
Pope, who has been criticised for a series of cheap dismissals in the England’s dismal series in Australia, fell for 17 on the fourth day in Adelaide after a stunning catch from Marcus Labuschagne in the slips.
The 27-year-old was likely playing for his place in the England team as well as trying to keep the Ashes alive, a task that now requires a miracle with Australia requiring just four more wickets to win the series.
But Crawley dismissed the idea that Pope’s place in the side could come under pressure following the third Test and claimed he has had a “good year” despite averaging just 17.62 against Australia.
“Maybe from you guys, but not from inside the camp,” Crawley told the BBC’s Test Match Special. “We all know how good of a player he is. I think he has had a good year if I’m honest.
“He has scored 100s when we have needed him to and played some really good knocks. I think that is talk from the outside. There’s no chat like that on Ollie in the camp.”
After folding in two days at Perth and four in Brisbane, Ben Stokes’ side came close to setting the earliest ever Ashes defeat of 10 days – but avoided that fate thanks in main to Crawley, who scored 85 from 151 balls.
Crawley hung on after Australia skipper Pat Cummins had earlier done his share of the damage, seeing off Ben Duckett, Pope and Joe Root.
Pope had earlier come in for criticism from former England international Graeme Swan, who was unimpressed with the batsman’s “lack of footwork” and “lazily chipping” following his dismissal to Nathan Lyon in the first innings.
Includes reporting from PA
