Zak Crawley’s breathtaking 189, his maiden Ashes hundred, powered England to a sensational run spree on the second day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. England ended the day at 384/4 in response to Australia’s first innings score of 317, securing a lead of 67 runs in a must-win match to keep their hopes of regaining the Ashes alive, with the series standing at 2-1 in Australia’s favor.
Crawley and Joe Root, who contributed 84 runs, formed a remarkable partnership of 206 runs in just 29 overs. Before that, Crawley and Moeen Ali (54) had already built a strong foundation with a 121-run partnership for the second wicket.
The England team displayed aggressive and rapid run-scoring, reaching 61/1 off 16 overs by lunch after an early wicket. However, they surged to 239/2 by tea, adding an astonishing 178 runs in just 25 overs during the second session. Crawley’s exceptional innings saw him become the sixth England batsman to score a hundred runs in a session of an Ashes Test.
With the threat of rain looming over the weekend, England’s quick scoring provided an insurance policy to bolster their chances of a victory. Crawley was closing in on a double century, having previously scored a massive 267 against Pakistan three years ago. However, he was eventually dismissed by Cameron Green, finishing with an impressive 189 runs off 182 deliveries, including 21 fours and three sixes.
England encountered some hiccups when Root was bowled for 84, and Stokes suffered a blow to the helmet from a Hazlewood delivery. Australia’s concerns increased as Starc left the field due to a shoulder injury while making a diving stop at mid-on.
Both Crawley and Moeen had their share of luck against Australia’s pace attack. Moeen, who completed the Test “double” of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, survived some close calls before being dismissed for 54. Crawley’s aggressive batting style earned him a quickfire century in just 93 balls.
Australia’s innings had ended earlier at 317, with Chris Woakes taking five wickets for 62 runs, securing his first five-wicket Ashes haul.
