The Ashes: Jos Buttler committed to Test cricket; Zak Crawley says England must not fear Australia | Cricket News

Jos Buttler has no plans to step away from Test cricket after The Ashes; England batter Zak Crawley not weighed down by his lean run of form in 2021 and says he “knows full well” he can score a century in Sydney; Crawley says England must not fear Australia

Jos Buttler is not planning on ending his Test career

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler says he has no intention of stepping away from Test cricket despite a difficult Ashes series so far.

Buttler has averaged below 20 with the bat during England’s defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne, while he has also dropped some costly catches behind the stumps.

The 31-year-old has scored only two hundreds in 56 Test matches, while he has 10 for England in the limited-overs formats, including a maiden T20I ton against Sri Lanka in Sharjah during the T20 World Cup a few months ago.

However, Buttler says he does not plan on becoming a full-time white-ball specialist and hopes to be selected for the three-Test series in the West Indies in March.

Buttler has played 56 Test matches for England to date

Asked if he still wants to play Test cricket. Buttler said: “It’s certainly my ambition. I don’t think I’d have put as much into it as I have done if it wasn’t.

“I have fantastic family support – they’re very supportive of me and my career, and make a lot of sacrifices for that. That’s one thing that gives you a lot of motivation and drive to try to make it all worth it.

“It’s certainly maintained my drive and ambition to try and play. At the moment I feel I’ve got that support and I’m in a place where I want to try to make it work.

“All I’m focusing on at the moment is turning up in Sydney and practising well. There’s an overriding sense of disappointment and frustration with the situation we’ve found ourselves in.

“It’s still quite raw. We certainly don’t want to be a team to lose 5-0. There’s a hell of a lot to play for.”

Buttler was dismissed for just two on day one of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, having waltzed down the pitch to Australia spinner Nathan Lyon in the over before tea and spooning the ball to home debutant Scott Boland at deep midwicket.

Buttler’s highest score in this Ashes series is 39

Reflecting on that dismissal, Buttler said: “I think in hindsight, just before a tea break is obviously a poor time to get out, but I wanted to be attacking and positive in that innings.

“Mid-on and mid-off were up. I saw that as an opportunity to score, I didn’t execute that. That’s all it is. I think you have to be able to (move on) as an international player, both when you’ve done well and poorly.

“I know members of the team will be questioned on the outside, but not believing in yourself is when you really start to get on a downward spiral.”

Crawley: We must not fear Australia

Buttler’s team-mate Zak Crawley made scores of 12 and five at the MCG after being recalled to the side for the first time since August.

The top-order batter averaged a lowly 10.81 from eight Tests in 2021 – a dramatic comedown following his breakout score of 267 against Pakistan in the summer of 2020.

Crawley said: “Obviously I haven’t played my best cricket this last year but I feel in a good place. Those stats are misleading sometimes.

Zak Crawley expects a flatter pitch in Sydney for the fourth Ashes Test

“I have never experienced anything like playing in India – 10 over there felt like a good score at the time. I didn’t feel in great touch in the summer so all of a sudden you’re averaging 10

“I feel as good as I ever have and so I don’t look into stats too much. I will certainly look to be a bit more confident and back myself because I know full well I can score a hundred here this week and that’s what I’m looking to do.

“I feel a few of us on our first Ashes tour, we’re a bit wary of (Australia) but there’s no need to be. (It’s about) not fearing them.

“They’re great bowlers, some of the best in the world, but when you get in as Rooty and Mala (Joe Root and Dawid Malan) have shown, they’ve looked very comfortable at times.

“I don’t think it will be a tougher test (in Sydney). I think the wicket is going to be better, slightly flatter, and it’ll be a bit easier. Having watched the Ashes a fair bit, usually there seems to be a lot more runs here.”