CRICKET
Matt Walker: Under-fire Zak Crawley ready for Ashes battle
Kent coach certain that England opener will impress against Australia this summer
Crawley averages only 27.60 from his 33 Tests
BEN HOSKINS/GETTY IMAGES
Zak Crawley’s much-debated recent England record stands up to comparison with other Test openers around the world, according to his head coach at Kent.
Crawley averages only 27.60 from his 33 Tests and little more than 30 in almost 100 first-class matches. The 25-year-old is set to open the batting with Ben Duckett when England face Ireland next month, and in the Ashes series that follows, and Matt Walker has defended his charge against critics.
“Opening the batting is the hardest job out there, but if you look at the averages of all opening batsmen in Test cricket over the past few years then Zak is no different to anyone else,” Walker said. “When you have to go and do it [open the innings] every
