Michael Vaughan Calls For The Removal Of Joe Denly Following His Lack Of Runs in Southampton

Michael Vaughan, former England captain-turned commentator, has said that incumbent No.3 Joe Denly must make way for a returning Joe Root for the Old Trafford Test, starting Thursday.

Regular captain Joe Root had missed out of the first Test due to the birth of his second child and the shootout to regain their spot in the team was always going to be between Zak Crawley and Joe Denly.

Denly scored 18 and 29 in the series opener against the West Indies, where, despite his patience, he, at times, looked hurried for pace.

“England have a decision to make on Denly. Crawley surely has to stay in the side,” Michael Vaughan told ‘BBC Sport’.

“Joe Denly played the way he has played in all of his 15 Tests. It’s been the same story. He did the hard yards then made a mistake,” Vaughan added.

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‘He’s just not good enough’- Michael Vaughan on Joe Denly

Denly, 34, is averaging 29.53 in 15 Tests and he has not been able to cross the 40-run mark in each of his last 8 innings.
“It’s not even a conversation. You could argue that Denly was very lucky to have played 15 Test matches. There are a lot of players who have played only eight Tests and got hundreds,” said Vaughan.

Michael Vaughan reckoned that Denly has not made optimum use of his chances and that England should stick with Zak Crawley, who scorer a gritty 76-run knock in the second innings.

“He has missed his chance and they have to stick with Crawley. I’m sorry for Denly – he’s just not good enough,” Michael Vaughan added.

Zak Crawley, on the other hand, when asked as to which player will make way for Joe Root in the next Test, said it is ‘tough scenario’.

“That’s not my place to say. My job is to score runs, and that is what I will try to continue to do as long as I get a chance,” Zak Crawley said.
“It is for the powers that be to decide. Joe has done extremely well over the past year and it’s a tough scenario,” he added.

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