England batsman floored by Aussie bounder (17 November 1998)
JOHN CRAWLEY has become the latest victim of the bad luck affecting England's Ashes openers
17-Nov-1998
17 November 1998
England batsman floored by Aussie bounder
By Ben Fenton
JOHN CRAWLEY has become the latest victim of the bad luck
affecting England's Ashes openers.
He was beaten up by a drunk near the team's hotel on Sunday night
and may still carry the bruises when he takes the field with
England for Friday's first Test against Australia.
Crawley is on standby to open the innings if his Lancashire
colleague Mike Atherton does not recover from a recurrence of
ankylosing spondylitis, the hereditary degenerative spinal
disease he has suffered from throughout his career.
The extent of Atherton's condition is almost unknown to his
colleagues on tour or at home because until recently he kept it a
close secret.
Crawley, 27, had been out for the evening with team-mates and
their Australian opponents in Cairns, Queensland, and was
returning alone to the team hotel at 11pm. He was set upon by the
man who shouted abuse at him before punching him. Crawley was
left on the ground with cuts and bruises.
Graham Gooch, the team manager, said Crawley was "naturally upset
but, other than the cuts and bruises to his face, is fine and
fully fit". Gooch said: "We considered informing the police, but
John is keen to put the matter behind him and concentrate on the
Test match." Graeme Hick, the Worcestershire batsman, has been
called to Australia as cover for Atherton, who was in obvious
pain when asked to bat against Queensland, making only one run.
The other opener, Mark Butcher, 26, was hit in the face by a ball
in the opening first-class game against Western Australia and
required stitches. Since then, he has scored nine runs in five
innings.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)