[Watch] Zak Crawley hits maiden Test hundred against Australia in fourth Ashes Test

England opener Zak Crawley set the foundation for the hosts with a brilliant hundred on the 2nd day of the 4th Ashes Test after Australia were bowled out for 317 on Thursday morning at Old Trafford.

Crawley fired runs from the word go, after he gloved past the Australian wicketkeeper for a boundary off Mitchell Starc's bowling. He has continued England's aggressive brand of style, Bazball, as they look to square the series 2-2.

The right-handed batter hit 12 boundaries and a six en route to his fourth Test century. He was involved in an important 121-run partnership with Moeen Ali before the latter was dismissed by Starc in the 28th over.

Batting on 98, Crawley smashed the ball over the covers and even though the shot wasn't timed well, it safely landed in no-man's-land. The 25-year-old took a couple of runs to complete his maiden hundred in the Ashes.

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England were 239 for 2 at the tea break after Joe Root joined Crawley to build another significant alliance as the hosts continued their dominance.

Zak Crawley's performance in Ashes 2023 ahead of Manchester Test

Zak Crawley is an integral part of England's batting order, particularly his ability to provide quick-fire starts to their innings.

Despite his barren run (173 runs in 16 games at an average of 10.81) during a difficult period for England in 2021, the team management under Brendon McCullum backed Crawley to prove his mettle.

The 25-year-old started Ashes 2023 with 61 runs off 73 balls, his only fifty-plus score before he wreaked havoc in Manchester. Ahead of the fourth Test, Crawley had scored 196 runs at an average of 32.66. The recent blistering ton helped him to break into the top two run-scorers of Ashes 2023.

Crawley can surpass Australia's Usman Khawaja (359 runs in 7 innings) as the leading run-scorer of the series after England's innings. The hosts can bank on the opener's form to seek a substantial lead in the first innings in order to put Australia under pressure.