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opener jack crawley defended Ollie Pope After refuting those suggestions EnglandNo. 3 could lose his place after another early dismissal in the second innings of the third innings ash Test against Australia.
Pope, who has been criticized for his series of cheap dismissals in England’s disappointing series in Australia, Fell for 17 runs on the fourth day in Adelaide After a brilliant catch by Marcus Labuschagne in the slips.
The 27-year-old was presumably playing for his place in the England team as well as trying to keep the Ashes alive, a task that now requires a miracle as Australia need only four more wickets to win the series.
But Crawley rejected the idea that Pope’s place in the team could be under pressure after the third Test and claimed he had had a “good year” despite averaging just 17.62 against Australia.
“Maybe from you guys, but not from inside the camp,” Crawley told the BBC’s Test Match Special. “We all know what a good player he is. If I’m honest I think he’s had a good year.”
“He has scored 100s when we needed him and played some good innings. I think it is a discussion from outside. There has been no such talk on Ollie in the camp.”
After defeats on day two in Perth and day four in Brisbane, Ben Stokes’s side came close to inflicting their first-ever Ashes defeat on day 10 – but avoided that fate largely thanks to Crawley, who scored 85 from 151 balls.
Australia captain Pat Cummins had already done his part by dismissing Ben Duckett, Pope and Joe Root, after which Crawley was stopped.
Pope had earlier faced criticism from former England international Graeme Swann, who was unhappy with the batsman’s “lack of footwork” and “lazy bowling” after the dismissal of Nathan Lyon in the first innings.
Includes reporting from PA