Zak Crawley played one of the most remarkable innings of his Test career, scoring 189 off just 182 balls in the fourth Ashes Test, at Old Trafford. He showed his wrath upon the Australian bowling lineup and hammered in every corner of the stadium.
The England opener not only hit a striking century but helped his Team to go past the score listed on the board where England scored 384-4 at the end of the second day.
The aggressive approach from Zak Crawley didn’t make the Aussies feel good for any moment as the hosts surpassed Australia’s first-innings total, taking a significant lead of 67 runs.
With the weekend weather forecast predicting rain, England knew the importance of securing a win to level the series.
England’s bowlers with their lethal bowling had already wrapped up Australia’s innings by taking the final two wickets, limiting them to 317 runs. James Anderson who was wicketless on day 1 dismissed the Australian skipper on the very first ball of day 2, who was looking to score big.
Building on this strong bowling performance, Crawley’s sensational inning was well supported by Moeen Ali who had already failed to impress with his stats for the initial two tests. This time he stepped up with his responsibilities and played an important role for England and departed at 54.
Joe Root (84), allowing Zak Crawley to become the leading run-scorer of the Ashes series. This was also the first century for Crawley in the Ashes.
Harry Brook, who was the hero of the last Test, and captain Ben Stokes also contributed significantly with their aggressive batting, further extending England’s lead. As the match progressed, England aimed to secure a quick-fire victory on Friday.
However, during the second session, they accelerated rapidly, scoring 178 runs in just 25 overs to reach 239-2 by tea. Crawley’s standout moment came when he became only the sixth England batsman to score a hundred runs in a session of an Ashes Test.
He advanced from 26 not out to an impressive 132 not out, showcasing his exceptional form in the Ashes Series.
Runs continued to flow after Tea as Crawley made his fourth hundred in 38 Tests to beyond 150, further dismantling the Australian bowling attack. Australian bowlers were clueless to bowl against him and Root as their partnership was also getting heavier and runs were hammered at a rapid pace.
England’s rapid run-scoring put them on the safer side in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test, in case rain disrupted play over the weekend.
However, with Crawley on the verge of a second Test double-century, his innings came to an end when he chopped onto all-rounder Cameron Green. His performance was remarkable, as he scored 189, facing 182 deliveries, and hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
Root and Crawley Partnership
The third wicket stand between Crawley and Root of 206 runs came in just 178 balls before Crawley departed on the score of 189. The duo created a world record by stitching the fastest double-century stand going past their own teammates Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes who had added a massive 399 off just 346 balls which came against South Africa in Cape Town, in 2016.
