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Ashes 2023: Zak Crawley’s Sensational Century Raises England’s Ashes Hopes

Darvesh Bhola

Zak Crawley’s incredible batting display proved to be the highlight of the second day of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday. The England opener delivered a sensational performance, scoring an impressive 189 runs, which helped propel England to a remarkable total of 384-4.

Their aggressive shotmaking proved to be too much for Australia to handle, 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 urgency of securing a win to level the series. Consequently, they displayed a blistering performance of aggressive cricket that left Australia shell-shocked.
 
Prior to Crawley’s heroics, England’s bowlers had wrapped up Australia’s innings by taking the final two wickets, limiting them to 317 runs. Building on this strong bowling performance, Crawley’s heroic innings, well supported by Moeen Ali (54) and Joe Root (84), allowed him to become the leading run-scorer of the series.

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. The day’s proceedings began steadily as England reached lunch at 61-1 off 16 overs after the early loss of Ben Duckett.

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.

The runs continued to flow after tea as Crawley extended his fourth hundred in 38 Tests to beyond 150, further demoralising the Australian bowling attack.

Twitter Reactions For Zak Crawley’s Knock:

https://twitter.com/vipintiwari952/status/1682064453209317377?t=Ly-WIvPyjBizVpVgF-o8pg&s=19

https://twitter.com/viratians25/status/1682033000043933699?t=2npwU0UYVPtRosoqrpMeUQ&s=19

England’s rapid run-scoring served as an insurance policy 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.

Shortly after, England suffered another setback when Joe Root was bowled for 84 by a Josh Hazlewood delivery that kept exceptionally low. The sight of the ball behaved unpredictably which was worrisome for both teams as Australia sought their first Ashes series win in England since 2001.

Australia’s troubles were compounded when Mitchell Starc, who had led their attack with 2-74 from 15 overs, left the field due to a shoulder injury. Despite the challenges posed by Australia’s quick bowlers, Crawley and Moeen managed to ride their luck, showing resilience and determination in their innings.

Moeen’s innings was particularly noteworthy, as he became only the fourth England player, alongside Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, and his current teammate Stuart Broad, to achieve the Test ‘double’ of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets. While he had some fortunate moments, Moeen’s batting prowess shone through, and his performance exceeded many pre-match expectations.

Travis Head, the part-time off-spinner, was removed from the attack after an expensive spell of 0-48 in six overs. Australia’s decision to drop specialist spinner Todd Murphy for this Test marked the first time in 11 years they played a Test without a recognised spinner.

Crawley continued to impress, reaching his century off just 93 balls and his second fifty off a mere 26 balls. His aggressive style of play reflected England’s batting ethos under the leadership of Ben Stokes and red-ball coach Brendon McCullum. Earlier in the day, Australia’s innings came to a close at 299-8, with no batters managing to score more than 51 runs, achieved by both Marnus Labuschagne and all-rounder Marsh.

Overall, Zak Crawley’s phenomenal innings provided a significant advantage for England, putting them in a strong position to secure a win and level the Ashes series. As the match entered its third day, all eyes will be on Crawley and England’s bowlers to maintain their momentum and potentially secure a memorable victory.

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