"We'll win by, I don't know, 150 runs?" - Zak Crawley's prediction ahead of second Ashes Test
England opener Zak Crawley remains confident of beating Australia in the second Ashes Test starting from June 28 at Lord's. Despite a close defeat in the first Test at Edgbaston, the right-handed batter feels it was a great exhibition for the sport.
Australia prevailed by two wickets at Edgbaston as their tail wagged to steer them over the finish line and secure a 1-0 series lead. Chasing 281, the tourists succumbed to 227-8 before Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon crushed England's hopes of a win with their unbeaten 55-run stand.
Speaking to Times Radio, Crawley expects the Lord's pitch to suit England. The 25-year-old stated that the two-wicket loss didn't affect them much, given the viewership it garnered.
"I think we'll win. I think it will suit us a bit more, that pitch. So I think we'll win by, I don't know, 150 runs? That's why we took [this loss] better than other losses perhaps, because it was great for the game. I think Sky had record viewing figures, Test Match Special had record listening figures, so this week was a great week for cricket and that's what we're all about," Crawley said.
England's first-day declaration of 393-8 in 78 overs despite Joe Root going strong attracted the most criticism. However, skipper Ben Stokes revealed at the post-match presentation that he doesn't regret the decision.
"At Lord's, with a little bit more of a quiet hum" - Zak Crawley
Having experienced a raucous crowd at Edgbaston, Zak Crawley believes Lord's crowd will be more hospitable, but expects a few on-field incidents to take place in the series moving forward.
"The Edgbaston crowd was so loud, to be honest with you, that you genuinely couldn't hear anything they were saying. At Lord's, with a little bit more of a quiet hum, you might hear a bit more. In general, they're good fellas, we're good fellas. I think as the series goes on there's going to be a few incidents, maybe, that will cause a bit of niggle and it'll get more and more," he said.
The Kent batter scored 61 in the first innings at Edgbaston and will hope to continue the same form in the series.