9 hours ago
3
Opener Zak Crawley said he was not feeling any extra pressure for his place in the England team before making 124 on the opening day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
The 27-year-old endured a torrid tour of New Zealand at the end of last year and, along with number three Ollie Pope, appeared to be under threat from Jacob Bethell.
But with Bethell absent at the Indian Premier League, both Crawley and vice-captain Pope helped themselves to centuries as England piled on 498-3 at Trent Bridge.
Asked if he and Pope were feeling the squeeze on batting places, Crawley said: "I can't speak for Ollie, but I certainly don't feel like that.
"When you play for your country you are going to be surrounded by good players and that pressure is going to be coming all the time.
"Throughout my career, from when I was very young until now, I've always been made a better player by people around me doing well, forcing me to be better."
Bethell, 21, made half-centuries in each of the three Tests in New Zealand, but will not be available for Test cricket until the series against India in June because of his spell with Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL.
On Wednesday, England captain Ben Stokes appeared to suggest Bethell would go back into the team at the earliest opportunity by saying: "Put two and two together, you probably know what's going to happen."
It was later clarified Stokes was referring to Bethell's return to the England squad, rather than the first-choice XI.
Of the captain's comments, Crawley added: "I didn't know what he said. He didn't speak to me and wouldn't need to."
The Kent player was tormented by New Zealand's Matt Henry in the three Tests just before Christmas.
Henry dismissed him in all six innings, and Crawley's average of 8.66 was the lowest by an England opener playing at least six innings in a single series.
But he has been a mainstay at the top of the order since Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge of the England side in 2022, and retained strong support from the management.
"It's awesome to be backed by two people I respect massively," said Crawley. "They obviously think that I'm the right man for the job. I have that belief in myself and I always want to repay the faith.
"That's been going for a few years now. I'm coming in to a time in my career where I a bit feel more experienced, I know my game a bit more and hopefully I can build on that."
