Kent’s Zak Crawley has been rewriting the record books on his way to a magnificent Ashes century on Day Two of the crucial Fourth Test at Old Trafford. 

Closing at the end of day two, England finished on 384-4 – a lead of 67 to put Ben Stokes’ side in pole position to secure the win that the home side needs to keep the 2023 Ashes alive going into the final test at The Oval next week. 

When Crawley lost opening partner Ben Duckett with the score on just 9, few of the sold-out crowd would have imagined what they were to see over the coming hours… 

By the time Crawley dragged on from Cameron Green, the score had moved onto 336 and England had a lead. Indeed, it was an amazing afternoon session as Crawley became only the third Englishman in Test history to score a hundred in a session.

He first added 121 with Moeen Ali for the second wicket before adding an incredible 206 with Joe Root in under thirty overs which is the fastest double century partnership in the history of Test cricket!

Add to all that that when the England score passed 300, it was the fastest 300 scored in Ashes history – indeed it beat the previous record by a full eight overs. 

Crawley’s 189 was the highest score by an Englishman in a home Ashes Test since 1997 – not bad considering Crawley has been under so much pressure during this series, it truly was so heart-warming to see the Kent opener hit the flailing Australian bowlers to all points of the Old Trafford ground.

More importantly from a Kent perspective, its also the highest score that a Kent male batsman has ever registered in Ashes history beating the 188 scored by Mike Denness for England at the MCG in February 1975. 

Whilst Denness’ 188 came in 448 deliveries, Crawley’s knock was true “Baz Ball” with his 189 in just 182 balls. 

It was also the highest Ashes score from a Kent batter in Manchester leaving Bob Woolmer’s 137 back in July 1977 some way behind. 

Crawley becomes the 11th male Kent player to have scored an Ashes hundred, & the 14th overall – with Cecilia Robinson, Charlotte Edwards &, of course, Tammy Beaumont having scored Women’s Ashes centuries – Beaumont’s 208 this year against the ‘Aussies’ at Trent Bridge the highest score for England against Australia from any Kent cricketer. 

For the record, Crawley joins Les Ames, Percy Chapman, Colin Cowdrey, Denness, Kenneth Hutchings, Alan Knott, Brian Luckhurst, Peter Richardson, Frank Woolley, and Woolmer as Kent batsmen to score Ashes centuries…