ZAK ATTACK & SCRAP Test’s Crawl but over
ENGLAND will have to scrap for their lives to avoid a first Test defeat after a middle order collapse put the Windies in pole position ahead of the final day.
Good work from Zak Crawley and Ben Stokes was pinned back by a late session flourish from the Windies bowlers to put them on the brink of a very gettable run chase at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl.
From 249-3, England finished the day on 284-8 with a lead of 170 on a pitch that is only just starting to misbehave.
Once again Windies skipper Jason Holder held the key to the change in momentum by getting rid of Stokes for 46 for the second time in the match to break a 98-run stand with Crawley.
But the Kent man fell in the next over for a career-high 76 with Alzarri Joseph and Shannon Gabriel finishing the day strongly.
“It was a real shame to lose those wickets quickly,” said Crawley.
“When I was batting with Ben it felt like we were getting on top of the game.
“The lead was never that big and we knew they would come back strong at us with the second new ball and they did, but for a time we felt on top.
“It was disappointing to go so soon after Ben, especially with the other wickets falling after us.
“The pitch is offering a bit of up-and-down bounce so we’ll work with that all day.
“We’ve definitely got the bowlers to take 10 wickets on there.”
Whatever the result here, it now looks as though Crawley will at least be a part of the side that heads to Old Trafford for the second instalment starting on Friday.
Both he and Joe Denly are well aware that the expected return of skipper Joe Root in Manchester means that one of them has to make way and current form is as good a reason as
any
on which to base the decision. At 22, Crawley is the youngster with his career stretched out in front of him and who would certainly have the chance to return to the side if he missed out in the near future.
For Denly, 34 is an age that suggests that whenever he is finally dropped it would be pretty difficult for him to get another go.
His game has been forged by years and years of firstclass experience, 211 matches and counting, so it seems unlikely that he is going to get much better in the remaining time he has at the top level.
And it is hard to argue even across the 15 Tests he has played so far that there has been a steady improvement in his performances, if anything he has plateaued.
Yesterday he made
29, one less than his overall average, and after a shaky start had appeared to be growing in confidence out in the middle.
But with plenty of time and opportunity he tamely turned the innocuous spin of Roston Chase straight into the hands of Holder to fall 10 minutes before tea and leave his Test career hanging by a thread. “It is not really my place to say what might happen with selection,” added Crawley.
“My job is to score runs and I try to do that every time I go out and I’ll do that as long as I get the chance.
“Joe has done well in the side and it is a tough scenario. Today I went out there and tried to bat some time and the other decisions are made by those above you.”
Holder has been having an entertaining duel with Stokes for the world No.1 all-rounder’s spot and his intervention drew huge praise from coach Phil Simmons who expects his side to zero in on their eventual target.
“It’s what he does,” said Simmons.
“He comes back and puts in the big spells for the team – that’s how he leads. That’s the quality he brings.
“We need to get the final two wickets and then bat normally to chase these runs.”