England batter Zak Crawley has emerged as a prominent advocate of their ultra-attacking ideology known as Bazball. While England has achieved significant success in home Tests with this approach, there have been moments of criticism, particularly after the Ashes and the series against India earlier this year.
However, Crawley highlighted how the English public is enamored with the team’s dynamic playing style. He believes that the impact on the crowd is a factor that transcends mere scorelines.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Crawley shared his thoughts during the press conference:
“I certainly feel we get more comments from people outside the ground saying, ‘I watched you playing the other week, loved it.’ That’s awesome to hear, it’s what you want. You want people to enjoy watching you play and I certainly feel that was heightened after the Ashes last year.”
Crawley reiterated that the essence of the Bazball brand is to provide something enjoyable for the people in England.
Zak Crawley on James Anderson as a Bowling Mentor
Crawley also expressed his excitement about James Anderson taking on a new role as the bowling mentor for the rest of the English summer following his retirement from Test cricket last week. With a touch of humor, Crawley mentioned his hopes of getting some easier deliveries from Anderson in the nets:
“He (Anderson) said he’s going to bowl in the nets. I just hope he’s going to bowl cross-seam. I’ve faced enough seam-up balls from him. He’ll put the ball wherever he wants, I suppose. A few fluffers and half-volleys from now on I think, Jimmy.”
England will play a home Test without either James Anderson or Stuart Broad for the first time since 2012. While Crawley acknowledges the significance of this transition given the stature of the two legendary bowlers, he is confident that players like Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, and Chris Woakes will step up and ensure a smooth transition.
Stay tuned to see how England’s embrace of Bazball continues to captivate and inspire cricket fans!
