Zak Crawley says ‘career flashed before his eyes’ after maiden ton vs Pakistan

Zak Crawley’s average after 44 first-class games was just 30.82 for Kent. His highest score was just 168. In a middling career, it seemed that he would not get a chance to play for England at the highest level. However, a couple of strong showings against South Africa and the West Indies gave selectors assurance that he had a chance to do well in Tests. In the second Test against Pakistan in Southampton, a lapse in concentration saw him being dismissed for 53. However, in the third Test, Crawley capitalized on the moment and notched up not just his maiden century but his highest first-class score ever.

Speaking after the end of the day’s play, Crawley said he did not want to think too much about the century and admitted he was very nervous when he was on 91. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, to see everybody on the balcony, it was almost like my whole career flashed before my eyes in that moment. I was trying to keep the hundred out of my head when I was on about 25, I just felt in such decent form that I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” Crawley said.

Individual plans for bowlers

Pakistan did not help themselves by some erratic bowling and their woes were compounded when England scored at a confident rate. The hosts scored at nearly four runs per over and they blunted the Pakistan attack well. Crawley explained the method of how they went about planning the innings.

“I have individual plans for each bowler and luckily I got a few lose ones early from Shaheen (Afridi), so I got off to a bit of a flyer. I was just trying to play straight and every ball on it merits,” Crawley said.

The right-hander said he got tremendous assurance from Jos Buttler who was batting confidently at the other end. Buttler tackled the legspin of Yasir Shah brilliantly as they strung an unbeaten partnership of 205. This was the first time since 2010 that England had strung a partnership of over 200 in a Test against Pakistan since 2010. Crawley is on the cusp of becoming the youngest England cricketer to score a double ton since David Gower in 1979.

“When I was on around 91 I was really nervous. Jos didn’t think I was, so I must have been hiding it pretty well,” Crawley said.