England vs Pakistan 3rd Test Day 1

Day 1 Crawley Stars With 

Superb Maiden Hundred

At Ageas Bowl 

England v Pakistan 3rd Test 2020

England  Won the Toss and  Elected to Bat first

He's ready. Yeah, first ball of the final test of the summer six tests we've had they've all been wonderful watching. Let's finish with a bit of style and a bit of flair and this movement shaheen shah he got rory burns in the last test. He was not dropped it didn't carry to second slip and then fourth ball he nicked it to second slip.

Played it with soft hands. He's off the mark a little bit of drizzle this morning, but he'll still rush away for four first runs for England.

That's the length if you bowl into the surface it dies if you can just kiss the surface at a foolish length it just does something.

That's a beauty is that carried he thinks so burns is waiting he's not so sure. They must have a look at this and again the soft signal is important.

Umpire voice ”Just rock and roll, please keep it coming keep it coming put some fingers under the Ball keep it going through. Please. Keep it rolling through. Thank you. I have a decision ready for the big screen. The decision is out”

Pakistan got 1^st wicket of  Rory Burns goes for 6. Shaheen Shah got first wicket of England first innings

And he's away, perfect absolutely perfect just where you want it first ball.

Wow! That's a good leave. You could see off stump there and that's why he's got his head in his hands could see off stump as he left it.

Now he's gone for the magic delivery it's squirted away. This is a good battle really good battle 20 year old with the ball 22 year old with the bat.

Another beautiful shot from sibley. That was his first boundary.

It's very good very very full-length delivery movement as well. He's actually coming back into sibley but still beat him on the outside edge.

Catch it and what a shot punishes it first bad ball bang four good shot.

Oh well taken look at that one wobble saw a lot of that in the cricket that we did see in the second test muhammad rizwan has done very very well with this one.

Whipped away down to fine leg bit of a gift for crawley who's looked very very positive his intent to score has been impressive.

Softish hands, so the ball went down and it will go down all the way to third man for four.

Short arm jab and that's a gorgeous shot from zak crawley so quickly. Did he pick the length.

Down the pitch a little bit and he's giving him.

England went for a review and they lost that review

Umpire voice “Pitching in line impacted line and hitting the wickets, so stay with your original decision. You're on screen now”

Pakistan got 2^nd wicket of  Dominic Sibley goes for 22. Yasir Shah got them breakthrough

 

Whoa! Point I made really about nassim shah being skiddy. This really didn't climb as much as you would expect. The ball to climb from the length and that's what caused root the problem.

Wow! So it has enough control to keep on doing that as long as you would like shaheen shah. Excellent bowling a sticky period for zak crawley.

And there goes the shot down the ground took the man out and crawly phoned the gap brings up his half century. Well played well tried by shaheen afridi but well played by zak crawley.

He can reflect on a good first session and a decent one for England losing sibley and burns, but crawley having played really nicely for a half century.

End of Session 1 (Lunch Session)

Well bowled will go through all the way that bacon slips only two slips in a gully right in the middle of them. It's four.

Oh, there we go first one that's tried it's wide and giving joe root plenty of width. You've got a good piece of it so you still haven't seen a decent bumper that was just wide of the off stop died in the pitch.

Helps down to fine leg. Shaheen he can't cut that one off bit of a gift.

Beauty what an absolute beauty and a fabulous catch Rizwan has been superb with the gloves. That is a pearling delivery to get rid of england's captain. Unplayable from naseem.

Pakistan got 3^rd wicket of Joe Root goes for 29. Naseem Shah got them breakthrough

 

That's a gorgeous drive from zak crawley we've seen him play that shot a couple of times slow outfield ball wins the race very good batting.

Oh, he's done him again on the back foot brilliant from yasir shah. I said ollie pope would have that dismissal from the last test in the forefront of his mind. Obviously. He didn't he's been pinned again on the crease.

Pakistan got 4^th wicket of Ollie Pope goes for 3. Yasir Shah got them breakthrough

 

That was nicely done in the end by buttler quicker one a flatter one and nicely timed for four buttler off the mark. picked up the googly.

Down leg side nicely played another boundary to crawley. He's on 73 now.

Good shot just to push straight down the ground.

Threads it through does crawley and will move into the 80s as he does. So, oh takes up four. It's an awkward dive on the boundary edge from shaheen I think he's Okay.

That's that drive that he plays where he he flashes his hands through the ball. It's quite an orthodox. Very effective 159-4.

Buttler pierces the offside again looks in good touch today moves to 20. It's not an easy shot to play he makes it look so easy josh buttler.

Pulled away beautifully by crawley 95.

Well, that's another good session of cricket 91 for two we had this morning and 93 for two we've had this afternoon from 28 overs again. So very very similar sessions in terms of results. But one constant has been the presence of zak crawley.

End of Session 2 (Tea Session)

 

He does drive on the up what a moment for the young 22 year old. The first test hundred for zak crawley. It is a moment. He will never forget well played. There are not many in but he will not care one bit.

That's a beautifully timed shot that's where he's strong I mean anyone strong off their legs stay away from there.

Oh my word that's a good leave, that's a good leave 201-4.

That was hit very hard very hard. There's three men out, but he's still going to take it on.

Whoa! When he hits them he hits them well. That's pretty flat that was right in the spot after using his feet.

That has gone a bit further no doubt about that one.

Not as much aggression but another boundary sixteen runs from the over 229-4.

Got it through again. Not the quickest award feels but gets there 236-4.

I think he's mixed these bowls up pretty well. It's one of those days. It's just you gotta hang in that's a really tough day to bowl and it's so windy like this. Maybe tried a part-timer for a couple of overs shan masood and you could have tried that that uh, two brings up joss butler's 50 an excellent 50^th.

Well, he's seen some fantastic batting today from zak crawley that's another wonderful cover drive. This game has just looked in sync the moment. He walked to the wicket.

Oh hello! The old reverse, oh we've seen some power and everything from zak crawley off the quickies and now some innovation.

Nicely swept crawly goes to 149 not out.

150 for zak crawley that is an innings of excellent skill composure and authority. Yeah, what a knock knock.

Swept away for four in complete control. Is that crawly? Yeah, he didn't play many sweeps early. But since he's got his hundred he's been prepared to play both orthodox and reverse sweeps.

Who's the kitchen sink at that absolutely gave it everything toe end from buttler.

Throughout the day when the ball has swung for shaheen it swung from a little too straight. Leg by's given he just hasn't been able to swing it from a round off stump where it's dangerous.

Didn't quite time it I think butler's power will probably be enough he slightly hooded the face to use a golfing term of of the bat as the as the ball began to swing in.

Sweet from buttler. Not quite the knockout blow to continue the boxing chat. But it's pretty good. It's a 200 partnership now between crawley and buttler 202.

Survive he does what a day for zak crawley. This has been it will be a day he will remember long long into his dotages maiden test match 100 always a special day for anybody. 127 before things were looking a little bit shaky. There's every reason to be smiling every reason to be a happy man.

Day 1 Stumps