ZAK CRAWLEY went on and on, the runs mounting, the records crumbling. He finally finished with 267 to his name.
It was an innings of such huge proportions that few could believe it, including no doubt Crawley himself.
Sure, he is a talented lad but turning a maiden Test century into the tenth-highest score of all time for England?
That’s barely credible and something that will make Crawley and the rest of us blink with disbelief through many a long bio-bubble.
Don’t forget, Crawley had just three first-class centuries and a career average of 30 before taking guard here.
Resuming with 171 not out yesterday morning, Crawley contigrnued on his error-free path, punishing loose balls with exquisite timing, scoring off front foot and back and operating with the sort of orthodox technique preached by coaching manuals 50 years ago.
Crawley appeared destined for the Holy Grail of batsmanship – a Test triple century – when he was stumped down the legside from a filthy ball purveyed by part-time ‘spinner’ Asad Shafiq.
His partnership with Jos Buttler realised 359 runs and was the joint fourth-highest for the fifth-wicket in Test history and the best for England for that wicket. Buttler made his highest Test score of 152.
When Pakistan batted, there was time for James Anderson to remove their top three and take his career wicket haul to 596 wickets.
Pakistan are 24-3 – still a monumental 559 runs behind – and surely only rain can save them in this Third Test. So a near-perfect day for England.
At 22 years and 201 days, Crawley became the second-youngest England to make a double century behind Sir Len Hutton and David Gower, who are not a bad duo.
Only R.E. ‘Tip’ Foster with 287 back in 1903 has compiled a bigger maiden century for England.
Crawley is the fifth-youngest from any country to reach 250 – behind Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Donald Bradman, Hutton and Graeme Smith of South Africa.
So, yes, he is keeping excellent company.
And, quirkily, Crawley’s is the highest Test innings of all time to be ended by a stumping.
When he was out, every Pakistan player shook his hand and, although there was no crowd, the ovation somehow seemed more intimate and personal because almost the only people clapping were his mates in the England dressing-room.
Crawley spent the final 15 balls of Friday with 171 and did not score for the first 25 deliveries he faced yesterday.
But it was only a temporary hold-up and, after a couple of interruptions for rain, he was back to full fluency.
On 99, Buttler was given out caught behind. But he reviewed immediately and the replays showed his bat brushed his pad rather than the ball.
His palpitations didn’t last long.
Next delivery, Buttler pushed into the covers and reached only his second second in his 47th Test match, a remarkably low strike-rate for a man of such gifts.
Crawley’s 200 came with an edge past the slip fielders – a rare false shot – but his 250 arrived with a contemptuous flick to the mid-wicket boundary.
That’s one for the TV archives.
Another memorable shot was a six over extra cover off Yasir Shah that appeared to be little more than a chip.
Buttler became becalmed and, amazingly, did not hit a single boundary between lunch and tea.
When he reached 150 by putting away a full toss from Naseem Shah, it was his first four for 41 overs.
Fair play to Buttler, he is England’s top scorer in Test cricket this summer and has perhaps never looked more comfortable against the red ball.
At no stage did Buttler try to adopt the destructive role he plays in white-ball cricket but, with Crawley going so smoothly at the other end, there was little need.
Buttler eventually chipped one back to another occasional slow bowler, Fawad Alam, and Chris Woakes, Dom Bess and Stuart Broad all had a dart before Joe Root declared.
England had 11 overs at Pakistan and Shan Masood was given out lbw to Broad but the opener was saved by a review.
No such luck in the next over when Anderson trapped him plumb in front.
Since scoring 156 in the first innings of the First Test, Masood’s scored have been 0, 1 and now 4.
Anderson struck again when Abid Ali was snaffled by Dom Sibley at second slip and then, with what turned out to be the final ball of day two, had Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam nailed in front.
