MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Opener Zak Crawley hit a rapid 189 as England dominated the second day of the fourth Ashes test to take a 67-run lead over Australia with six wickets left at stumps on Thursday.
England rocketed to 384-4 in 72 overs with a heavy dose of Bazball bravado after Australia was dismissed for 317 in the morning session at Old Trafford after resuming on 299-8.
Crawley took England into the lead after just 54.3 overs with a superb flick for six off Mitch Marsh.
Australia’s woes continued as England was allowed a couple of overthrows when Australia captain Pat Cummins forgot to back up Steve Smith’s throw from the deep, although it did have some respite when an off-balance Crawley dragged Cameron Green (1-40) on to his stumps. Crawley scored 189 in 182 deliveries, including three sixes and 21 fours, repaying the rock-solid faith England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have shown him.
“It’s fair to say that under any other coach or captain I probably wouldn’t be playing this series,” Crawley said. “So, to be backed by them gives me a lot of confidence. They’ve always said not to worry about being consistent, just to go out and try to win games for England.”
The 25-year-old Crawley’s inconsistency has attracted criticism and he arrived at the crease with an underpowered test average of 28.65. But he has a maverick quality that appeals to the current regime and could not have picked a better stage to spread his wings with a fourth ton.
Crawley had refused to let Ben Duckett’s third-over dismissal knock him off course. He weathered a couple of early scares, edging inches in front of slip on 12 and given out lbw on 20 before successfully calling for DRS, but held his nerve to reach the lunch break intact.
Joe Root (84 in 95) departed 16 short of three figures after he was unable to bring his bat down in time to a grubber from Josh Hazlewood (1-62), the first significant sign of variable bounce in the pitch.
There were no further alarms for England with Harry Brook unbeaten on 14 and Stokes on 24 not out.
England had launched into Australia’s bowling post-lunch and rocketed to 239-2. Crawley led a partnership of 121 from 152 balls with Moeen Ali, then 109 from 86 with Root at tea in a partnership which would grow to 206.
Crawley scored 106 on his own in the middle session.
Ali showed his versatility by scoring 54 at No. 3
England has to win here to keep the series alive, and warned Australia beforehand that it would try to force a quick result because Saturday’s play may be lost to forecasted rain. If England doesn’t win, Australia will retain the Ashes.
With that in mind, England added an entertaining 178 runs after lunch from 25 overs at more than seven per over.
The Australians were befuddled, especially expensive Cummins. Mitchell Starc finished the day on 2-74.
England’s first 100 took 22.1 overs. The second 100 took 13.2 overs.
Ali came out of test retirement for the series as emergency spin cover, then volunteered to bat at No. 3 when Ollie Pope was injured out of the series. Ali made it his job to give Root and Brook distance from the new ball and excelled with his first test fifty in 4 1/2 years.
He was dropped on 53 but out one run later at 130-2 when he hit Starc in front of square and gave Usman Khawaja a two-hand diving catch.
That brought in Root, who smacked the first ball he faced from Starc to the boundary.
Crawley reached a streaky century with lots of edged shots from 93 balls, the second fastest by an England opener in test history. The only quicker one was his own off 86 balls last year in Pakistan.
He and Root were so comfortable on a slow pitch against an aging ball that they hit sixes close to the interval.
Root reverse-ramped Marsh over deep third and Crawley slog-swept Travis Head over cow corner.
James Anderson (1-51) had earlier removed Cummins with the first ball of the morning and Chris Woakes (5-62) completed a well-deserved five-for to end the innings.
Australia’s day might have worsened as Starc landed awkwardly on his left shoulder after diving to stop the ball late on, briefly leaving the field before returning.
Assistant coach Daniel Vettori said Starc was icing his shoulder afterward although Australia is “pretty confident he will be all right.”
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