TOP ORDER TURMOIL: England Backs Struggling Batsmen Ahead of Crucial Summer
England selector Luke Wright has publicly supported under-pressure batsmen Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope while acknowledging that "runs are the currency" in international cricket. Both players have been retained for the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe despite recent poor form. "In international cricket, someone is always under pressure or scrutiny from the outside," Wright stated after England announced their squad for the Zimbabwe Test at Trent Bridge beginning May 22. "This is no different. I have no doubt those boys will do well. When they are playing well, we're a better team." The selector emphasized the simple truth of cricket performance metrics: "Any player knows that runs are the currency. Any batter wants to get runs." Crawley's struggles are particularly notable, with only one fifty in his last 14 Test innings, while vice-captain Pope has managed just two half-centuries in […]
