Crawley’s bold Lord’s prediction: ‘We’ll win by, I don’t know, 150 runs?’

Crawley stated: “That is why we took [this loss] higher than different losses maybe, as a result of it was nice for the sport. I feel Sky had report viewing figures, Check Match Particular had report listening figures, so this week was an ideal week for cricket and that is what we’re all about.

“We’re not about outcomes. We all the time discuss that. We’re not about profitable or shedding: we’re about leisure. After all, we’re there to win and it helps our model and what we’re attempting to do. If we win, we get extra traction.

“However I do not suppose we have misplaced something this week aside from a sport of cricket, which is [the first in] a five-match sequence. However aside from that, we have gained loads of respect. We gained a number of help and I feel it is nice for the sport.”

Crawley made 61 and seven within the first Check at Edgbaston, memorably hitting the primary ball of the sequence for 4 when he drove Pat Cummins by cowl. “There was undoubtedly a part of me that was pondering, ‘If it is there, I will try to hit for 4, ship a message,'” he stated. “Fortunately it was in an honest spot to hit for 4 and yeah, I acquired fortunate, it hit the center of my bat.

“You do not really feel that stress if you’re on the market. The stress is extra if you’re taking part in to your team-mates and our jobs as openers and top-order batsmen is to set the tone. And so the stress I really feel is I’ve acquired to get off to begin and a fast begin for my group.

“I extra really feel that stress than the stress of the scrutiny of the media or something like that. So I used to be below stress [but] I assumed I will try to get us off to begin right here. I used to be all the time seeking to be optimistic.”

Heading into the second Check, Crawley expects the verbal battle between the perimeters to ramp up. “The Edgbaston crowd was so loud, to be sincere with you, that you just genuinely could not hear something they have been saying. At Lord’s, with slightly bit extra of a quiet hum, you would possibly hear a bit extra.

“On the whole, they’re good fellas, we’re good fellas. I feel because the sequence goes on there’s going to be a number of incidents, possibly, that can trigger a little bit of niggle and it will get an increasing number of. Everybody’s extraordinarily aggressive on a person degree and clearly on the group degree. I am certain by the fifth match, there will be some niggle.”