Nasser Hussain on England: Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope shouldn't get comfortable and selection can't be 'closed shop' Trending Global News

Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain says England will stick to their aggressive regime for the upcoming New Zealand Test series, but Jack Crawley and Ollie Pope shouldn’t get too comfortable.

Vice-captain Pope struggled during England’s 2-1 defeat to Pakistan last month, averaging 11 and making a top score of 29, while Crawley failed to score 78 in the first innings in the opening game in Multan. Be unable.

England have included Warwickshire all-rounder Jacob Bethel in their squad for the three-Test tour of New Zealand, while Jamie Smith will miss the tour due to the birth of his first child, meaning Jordan Cox will keep wicket.

“England have made very good selections. Random selection guys have come in the last two years and they have all done very well and look very good cricketers,” Hussain said. sky sports cricket podcast.

“You haven’t looked at any of them and thought, ‘Well, what have England picked him for?’

“They have all made good choices and performed immediately. But will they ever go back?

“It can’t be a closed shop. I would like to push Crawley and Pope to say, ‘Do you know what? Keaton Jennings is getting some runs or [Haseeb] Hameed is getting something now or Rory Burns has got a lot in the summer.

“Your place is not given forever.”

Following England’s series defeat to Pakistan, captain Ben Stokes defended his top-order batsmen, saying they were the best in the country, but Hussain and Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton questioned whether this meant there was not enough talent available.

Atherton said, “Going back to the Bethel selection, you can look at it two ways. You can say, this is a future superstar kid that they’re completely betting on.”

“They feel he’s going to be a great player and will be evaluated on that basis. And that may be right. A lot of his selections have been really good.

“But you can also say, well, if they have to pick someone who averages 25 after 20 first-class matches and hasn’t scored a first-class century, what else is there?”

England’s previous efforts at signing young players like Rehaan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir have been successful due to the spinners’ impressive performances in Pakistan and Bethel is in line to impress the selectors.

“When Rob Key (managing director of England men’s cricket) announced the list of 29 centrally contracted players, he said it reflected the depth of red-ball and white-ball cricket in our country,” Atherton said.

“What’s the depth in terms of first-class batting if the next up the rank has a record like Cab Bethel? Maybe it’s just another of his punts that will come to the fore.

“Will they stick to the type of cricketer they are looking for? Or will they say, no, OK, we are ready to go a different path.

“I really like what they do. They have a clear vision of what they want.

“I don’t think it should be one size fits all, because I think the beauty of Test cricket is that it encourages all types of players and gives them the opportunity to flourish. But I like the fact that That they have a clear understanding of what they’re looking at.” For.”

Atherton: Multi-year central contracts don’t starve players

The England and Wales Cricket Board this week unveiled the updated central contract list for the men’s cricket team, which notably excludes Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson.

However, Smith was among the players to sign central contracts for the first time, along with Surrey’s Will Jacks, Somerset’s Bashir, Lancashire’s Phil Salt and Nottinghamshire’s Ollie Stone.

Bethel and Leicestershire’s Josh Hull has also joined Hampshire’s John Turner in agreeing a first England development contract.

Meanwhile, England captain Stokes and Jos Buttler have written down two-year deal extensions.

“I don’t like multi-year contracts. I think the game is moving very fast and you want to keep the players prepared and keep them hungry,” Atherton said.

Meanwhile, Key believes the multi-year deals reflect the commitment of all players to prioritize playing for their country.

“Why do they feel they have to give out two-year deals? Probably because of the fascination and attraction towards franchise cricket,” said Hussain.

“There are a lot of opportunities for players to go into the franchise sunset and feel they have to take control, especially their fast bowlers like Mark Wood.

“He can call their bluff and just offer a one-year deal and see what they do, and it keeps you hungry, a one-year deal.

“Maybe Ollie Robinson missing will be a wake-up call for him. His stats are absolutely phenomenal.

“I know he disappoints people, but I don’t know, I would be very disappointed if he didn’t play for England again. I think he’s very talented.”