'Happy with three innings out of him': The bizarre statistic that underlines England's huge Zak Crawley issue

A damning statistic has underlined the true madness of England's Zak Crawley problem, with two former captains stunned by his "mad" career as an opening batter.

Crawley has been a consistent part of the Bazball era under coach Brendon McCullum, but averages just above 30 across his time spent in the Test arena.

The only way to describe his batting is a rollercoaster.

READ MORE: 'Costly' word that outrages an entire nation rocks cricket game

READ MORE: Why 12-year Schumacher mystery extends to close friend

READ MORE: RLPA boss whacks V'landys over 'short-sighted' comments

After bursting onto the scene five years ago with three half-centuries and a mammoth 267 against Pakistan in his first year in the team, Crawley's performances have gone up and down at a rate that is hardly conducive to being a consistent Test opener.

In between each of his subsequent four tons, the 27-year-old goes through extended periods where he only returns middling results at best with the willow.

Through it all though, England selectors and most notably McCullum have backed in the rangy right-hander and have long held the belief he could succeed on Australian soil.

The evidence thus far would suggest otherwise after Crawley was dismissed for a pair of ducks in the series opener in Perth, both times in the first over to Mitchell Starc.

While many from outside the team's four walls believe Crawley should be under pressure, former Test skipper Alastair Cook believes that he will likely last the whole series due to the way England approach their cricket through a rare lens.

"Going into the series, we said this - and this is mad as an opening batter - that England are happy with three innings out of him," Cook said on the Stick To Cricket podcast.

"That's what he has done in the past, that's why he keeps playing and those three innings tend to change the momentum of the game.

"He gets an 80 or a hundred and it tends to be an unbelievable innings. He's now got to deliver three out of eight now for him to work [in the Ashes]." 

Cook also delivered a damning statistic that has been doing the rounds since Crawley's dismal display against Australia, which would set off alarm bells for any other country.

In his 109 innings at Test level to date, Crawley has been dismissed in single figures in 41 per cent of those knocks - which clearly explains why his average sits lower than any other England top-seven batter despite scoring five centuries and 19 fifties.

Michael Vaughan said that watching Crawley bat - particularly in the first over of an innings - is like playing "bingo" as frustration grows around his spot.

"He's been chosen to play the way that England want him to play," Vaughan said.

"They've gone consistent [by selecting him] over three years for here [Australia]. This is why they have been so consistent and at the first time of asking [he failed].

"I think if you played Zak Crawley bingo, in the first over of the Test match you have probably got a full house ... he plays the big drive, then he gets out playing the big drive.

"That's pretty much the way Australia will bowl to him - go full and try to get him driving.

"He might get away with a few, but you would think on these wickets against the quality [bowling attack], there's a good chance that he will snick quite a few."

Crawley is expected to retain his spot for the second Test in Brisbane next week, with no other genuine openers in the wider England squad available to partner Ben Duckett.