Day-Night Test: Did England think of declaration on Day 1?
What's the story
After the end of Day 1 of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, England opener Zak Crawley clarified that there was no discussion of declaring at nine down to face Australia with the pink ball under lights. This statement comes as a deviation from previous strategies employed by England captain Ben Stokes. In February 2023, during a D/N Test against New Zealand, Stokes had declared after 59 overs at 325/9 and had New Zealand three down by stumps.
Game plan
Crawley emphasizes on aggressive approach
Crawley emphasized that the team's focus was on an aggressive approach rather than a declaration. He said, "There was no talk of a declaration. We were just saying, 'go really hard,' and it was a win-win." This strategy paid off as Joe Root and Jofra Archer added an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls for the 10th wicket at Gabba. Their brilliance meant England ended the day at 325/9. Root, batting on 135*, scored his maiden Test hundred Down Under.
Match analysis
Crawley reflects on England's performance
Crawley also reflected on England's performance, saying they were happy with 260 and an hour at them. He said, "We were quite optimistic about that last hour and then it turns out we ended up batting for all of it." This optimism was evident in Crawley's own performance as he scored 76 after a disappointing first Test where he bagged a pair.
Pressure management
Crawley stays calm amid pressure
Crawley, who had a disappointing outing in Perth, said he felt great and was pleased to stay calm while batting. He added, "Obviously I was disappointed to get out when I did. The pitch felt like it was just getting better then as well." He also credited Root for his outstanding performance and expressed happiness over their collective effort as a team.
Pre-match preparation
Crawley shares insights on his preparation
Crawley spoke about his long wait between games and how he prepared for it. He said, "It was a long time between games. We had some good training sessions here in Brisbane, five days of training." Despite the gap, he felt comfortable with his game and was ready to face the challenges ahead.