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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Crawley: England's top Ashes run-scorer but out for 16 lbw to Neser
- 2🏆 Vaughan: 'Frustrates the life out of me' but 'stick with him' on TMS
- 3💡 Technique shift failed; concentration key vs straight nippers
- 4🔮 England 211-3 (Root/Brook 50s); eyes 2027 Ashes rebuild
- 5💬 'Should not have got him out' – Vaughan on Crawley's talent
"Former captain Michael Vaughan said Zak Crawley "frustrates the life out of me", but England should persevere with the opener."
Michael Vaughan champions persistence with Zak Crawley despite his 'frustrating' dismissals, as the opener topped England's Ashes 2025 run charts before falling for 16 lbw to Michael Neser on day one of the Sydney finale. Rain and bad light curtailed play, but Vaughan's TMS podcast plea underscores Crawley's series impact amid England's 1-3 deficit.
Crawley, 27, adapted his guard across stumps for the fifth Test at SCG but played across a nipper, his concentration lapses echoing a Perth pair. As England's leading run-scorer, his talent shines through inconsistency, a trait Vaughan knows from captaincy days.
Technique Tweaks Under Scrutiny
Crawley's lbw (16 balls) to Neser's straight delivery highlights technical quirks: avg ~25 series-long but peaks like 189* vs Pakistan. Vaughan notes, 'The ball shouldn't have got him out,' comparing to Root/Brook's fifties on a flat pitch. Historically, openers like Cook endured slumps for glory; Crawley's 50% boundary conversion demands evolution.
Perseverance Key to England Rebuild
With Ashes lost, sticking by Crawley signals faith in youth for 2027 redemption, influencing Bazball's opener template. Neser's scalp boosts Aussie depth, but England's 211-3 position (Root/Brook fifties) shows resilience. Vaughan's backing mirrors debates on Hameed's axing.
"He looks such a good player - and then just gets out... There must be something in his concentration." – Michael Vaughan, TMS
Sydney Finale Sets 2027 Tone
Day two resumes amid weather woes – can Crawley rebound? Watch for his evolution; Vaughan insists England persist, priming the attack for Border-Gavaskar and home Ashes defense.
