Rob Key has left open the possibility that Zac Crawley could use his Test failure as a turning point after he became the most high-profile victim of England’s post-Ashes reshuffle.
The 28-year-old was left out of England’s three-Test series against New Zealand after his struggles in the Ashes with Kent showed no signs of improving in the first few weeks of the County Championship season.
ECB managing director Key admitted Crawley knew a decision was coming, but insisted he still had a future in England if he could rediscover his touch with the bat.
“There weren’t many batsmen who did well enough to be safe in the Ashes,” Key explained.
“If you look at the way Ben Duckett came back and played, Zach was asked to do the same thing and unfortunately for him he wasn’t able to do it.
“He now has a chance to leave the team and find a way to be the best scorer.”
When asked how Crowley took the news, Key added: “I think he knew it was coming. Over the last few years, Zach has been one of the best in that environment in terms of his personality.”
“He’s going to take this in stride and come back. Hopefully, it’ll help him grow.”
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Sky Sports’ James Cole analyzes England’s new-look squad ahead of first Test match against New Zealand
“Crowley’s position has become untenable.”
Sky Sports Cricket’s Michael Atherton said Crawley’s position at the top of the pecking order was no longer sustainable and it was time for a change.
“England have stuck with Crawley for a long time. He has now played 64 Tests, averaging 31 Tests,” the former England captain said.
“His appearances rank among the highest of all-time England batsmen, but his returns do not place him at the top. His status has become untenable.
“His returns at Test level did not justify his staying, and his return at Kent this season did not justify his staying. It had been expected for a long time that he would be left out, so I think it was the right thing to make the change.”
“I never believe in closing the door to people. There is no team that is good enough to do that – certainly not England at the moment.
“It’s hard to imagine Crawley coming back anytime soon given the opportunities he’s had so far, but the players coming in will need their chances, but I wouldn’t say he’s completely done.
“When you play domestic cricket, people need to feel like they have a chance. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
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Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain look back at the revamped men’s squad ahead of the first New Zealand Test
The uncapped trio of Emilio Gay, James Lew and Sonny Baker were the centerpiece of England’s 15-man squad, along with recalls of Olly Robinson and Rehan Ahmed.
None of the five were on the Ashes tour, which ended in a 4–1 defeat, but the decision to extend an olive branch to Robinson and revive the Sussex seamer’s Test career raised the biggest eyebrows.
The 32-year-old boasts outstanding Test figures of 76 wickets at 22.92 in just 20 matches, but has not played since February 2024.
Concerns had been raised about his physical durability, his ability to maintain pace throughout the match, and his relationship with the team’s leadership. Mr. Key flatly denied such concerns.
“When he’s healthy and bowling at a decent pace, like 82, 83 miles per hour, he’s world class,” Key said.
zac crowley and olly robinson
“If you look at his record, he’s one of the few players who statistically ranks among the best bowlers in the world. Ollie has done that and that’s what we believe.”
“We’ve been monitoring him closely. We’ve watched him bowl. He’s back to full fitness and that’s what we’ve asked of him. If he can maintain his threat throughout the match and prove he’s close to his best, fitness permitting, he’s a world-class bowler.”
‘England have the makings of a world-class attack’
Key believes Robinson’s quality will help unlock the potential of England’s evolving bowling attack.
“Ollie will add something to any team when he’s at his best. He’s incredibly skilled and has a lot of experience,” Key said.
“He’s played a lot of cricket. There were a lot of players in Australia who were really first-change bowlers at the start of their international careers. Ollie is a little bit ahead of them.
“But this is an evolving attack. We have 20 more Test matches coming up so it’s going to be very exciting. This attack has world-class quality.”
England squad for first Test against New Zealand
Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire)
Jacob Bethel (Warwickshire)
Harry Brooke (Yorkshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Matthew Fisher (Surrey)
Emilio Gay (Durham)
James Lew (Somerset)
Olly Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Jamie Smith (Surrey)
Josh Tan (Nottinghamshire)
England vs New Zealand match result
First Test (Thursday 4th June – Monday 8th June) – Lord’s, London (11am) Second Test (Wednesday 17th June – Sunday 21st June) – Keir Oval, London (11am) Third Test (Thursday 25th June – Monday 29th June) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (11am)
Watch England’s home summer international summer fixtures live on Sky Sports, starting with the three-Test series against New Zealand from 4 June. Don’t watch Sky? Stream cricket without a contract now.
