'Keep the faith' says England's McCullum

HEAD coach Brendon McCullum has urged England fans to “keep the faith” despite their Ashes heartbreak in Perth - and plans to do exactly that with struggling opener Zak Crawley.

- By RORY DOLLARD

The tourists are picking up the pieces after an eight-wicket thrashing in the first Test, the first two-day finish to an Ashes clash since 1921.

Supporters at home, and those who made the trip Down Under in their thousands, have witnessed a major stumble at the first hurdle but McCullum is eager for them not to abandon hope.

“We are bitterly disappointed for us, but also for all the fans who have turned up here to support us so well,” he said.

“I'd say keep the faith. We have a talented group, we believe in each other and are pretty level. That doesn’t mean it won't hurt. But our best method to get back into it is doing what we've done before under pressure, which is staying tight and keep moving towards the target. We'll head to Brisbane with high hopes and high expectations and see where we're at.”