Legendary England cricketer Geoff Boycott has launched a scathing attack on current England opener Zak Crawley and pace bowler Chris Woakes, questioning their places in the Test team.
Boycott’s Harsh Words for Zak Crawley
Geoffrey Boycott didn’t hold back his criticism of Zak Crawley, stating bluntly that he doesn’t believe the opener can improve. Boycott emphasized that batting is largely a mental game, and Crawley’s technical and psychological flaws are “ingrained.”
“A leopard doesn’t change his spots, or maybe Zak does not want to change,” Boycott wrote in The Daily Telegraph. Despite being in what should be his prime years, Crawley’s Test average of 31 across 56 matches is simply “not good enough,” according to the former opener.
Inconsistent Performance Under Scrutiny
Boycott highlighted Crawley’s fleeting moment of promise in the first Test at Headingley. He noted that Crawley played with a straight bat, left wide deliveries, and allowed the ball to come to him, suggesting a more disciplined approach.
However, this apparent improvement was short-lived. Boycott slammed Crawley’s dismissals in the second Test at Edgbaston as “awful.” He described how Crawley’s feet were stuck for his first innings dismissal, leading to a “wafted” shot.
In the second innings, Boycott noted Crawley batted too close to the off-stump and drove at a wide ball unnecessarily, especially considering he was on nought and likely fatigued from fielding for five sessions. He questioned Crawley’s decision-making under pressure.
Chris Woakes: “Past His Sell-By Date”
Boycott’s critique wasn’t limited to the batsmen. He also took aim at bowler Chris Woakes, suggesting it’s “counter productive to keep the same guys in the team when they are past their sell-by date.”
Boycott observed that Woakes’s pace is noticeably dropping, a common occurrence for aging seamers. He pointed out Woakes’s historically poor record as a wicket-taker abroad, implying he is only effective on English pitches.
While acknowledging Woakes’s handy batting contributions, Boycott asserted that a bowler’s primary job is to take wickets, not to “shore up bad batting.” He believes batsmen should be responsible for scoring runs, and bowlers for claiming wickets.
- Geoff Boycott believes Zak Crawley’s batting flaws are “ingrained” and he cannot improve.
- Boycott criticized Crawley’s inconsistent approach, contrasting a brief improvement at Headingley with “awful” dismissals at Edgbaston.
- Chris Woakes is deemed “past his sell-by date” due to dropping pace and a poor overseas wicket-taking record.
- Boycott emphasizes that batsmen must score runs and bowlers must take wickets, challenging the current team’s player roles.
These strong opinions from the cricketing legend add to the ongoing debate about England’s Test team selections and performance.
