The Ashes: Zak Crawley hammers 73-ball 61 versus Australia
Zak Crawley was responsible for the fast start that England got on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test match at Birmingham. Although England lost an early wicket, Crawley was unfazed as he played his strokes. He registered his ninth Test half-century and his second against Australia. His knock of 61 from 73 deliveries was laced with seven boundaries. Here's more.
A fiery knock from Crawley
England lost Ben Duckett early but Crawley remained positive and kept playing his shots on a very flat Edgbaston wicket. He stitched a solid 70-run partnership with Ollie Pope. Both looked pretty comfortable at the crease when Pope was dismissed. He added 32 runs together with Joe Root before a short-pitched ball from Scott Boland rose and nicked his glove.
Here are Crawley's opening partnership numbers in the McCullum era
Crawley has been a key component of the Bazball philosophy implemented by Brendon McCullum. The opening duo of Crawley and Duckett have added 627 runs together at a run rate of 5.93. Since 2022, no other opening pair has scored 300 runs and had an average run rate of even 4.5. Crawley with Alex Lees have added 408 runs at a 4.46 run rate.
A look at Crawley's numbers in the McCullum era
The lanky English opener has slammed 698 in 14 Tests at an average of 29.08 in the Stokes-McCullum era. However, the major change has been in his strike rate, which is now 73.08. His tally includes four fifties and a solitary hundred.
A look at his overall Test numbers
Courtesy of this breezy fifty, Crawley has raced to 1,785 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 28.79. His tally includes three hundreds and nine half-centuries. His highest score of 267 came against Pakistan in August 2020. The 25-year-old has amassed 227 runs against Australia in four Tests at an average of 32.42. Notably, this was his second Test fifty against the Aussies.
