"A true display of talent and grit" - Twitter hails Zak Crawley for breathtaking century on Day 2 of fourth Ashes Test

England opener Zak Crawley silenced his critics with a scintillating century on Day 2 of the fourth Ashes Test at Manchester on Thursday, July 20. Coming into the game with mediocre scores throughout the series, the 25-year-old desperately needed a big score to shut off the noise about his place in the English Test side.

Zak Crawley had scored only 196 runs at an average of 32.66 with a lone half-century in the first three Tests. Despite his visible talent, the right-hander was notorious for throwing away solid starts without converting them into game-changing scores.

The 25-year-old had averaged less than 30 with the bat in 12 innings this year, with no centuries and a lone half-century before this game. Before the ton in the ongoing Test, the right-hander last scored a century against Pakistan at Rawalpindi some seven months and 18 innings ago.

It is thus not an understatement to say that the pressure was building for Crawley to make a substantial contribution, and he did just that. Reaching the milestone off just 93 deliveries, the youngster also became the fourth-fastest century by an English batter against Australia.

Zak Crawley has played all 17 Tests since the inception of the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes era, and the opener repaid the faith shown in him through his fourth Test century.

While fans on Twitter were quick to pounce on Crawley during the series for his throwing-away starts, they ensured to give him the deserving flowers for his sparkling knock.

Here are some of the best reactions:

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England in a dominant position at Tea on Day 2 in a must-win 4th Test courtesy of Zak Crawley's ton

Joe Root and Zak Crawley demoralized the Aussies with their sensational partnership.

Faced with a must-win situation to even up the Ashes, England came out all guns blazing with the bat on Day 2 of the fourth Test.

After a commendable effort with the ball to restrict Australia to 299/8 on Day 1, the hosts quickly picked up the final two wickets to bowl out the visitors for 317 in their first innings.

Having been restrained from playing Bazball for most of the first three games, England put their foot down and had the Aussie bowlers rattled. It did not start well for Ben Stokes' men, as they lost opener Ben Duckett in the third over for just a run.

However, Moeen Ali entered the crease and combined with Zak Crawley to add an impressive 121-run partnership off just 150 deliveries to settle the nerves. Just when the Australians garnered hopes of a comeback with the timely wicket of Ali, star batter Joe Root joined Crawley and accelerated the innings even further.

The duo are currently unbeaten on a partnership of 119 off 101 deliveries to lead England to 249/2 in only 44 overs. While Zak Crawley has marched on to 138, Root is nearing his half-century, batting on 47 off just 43 deliveries.

With the deficit at just 68, England will look to get to a massive first-innings lead and go on to level the Ashes at two games apiece, setting up a grand finale at the Oval. They will also look to become the first English side to overcome a 0-2 deficit to win an Ashes series.