ENGLAND opener Zak Crawley has cracked a magnificent day two ton to put his side in the box seat during the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford. With the hosts seeking to level the series at 2-2, impending weather saw Bazball take full effect at the batting crease in an ominous scoring display.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Steely Starc

Things looked dicey for Australia when Pat Cummins scooped Jimmy Anderson to cover with the first ball of the day, but Mitchell Starc showed some resolve in a short-lived 10th-wicket partnership with Josh Hazlewood. He finished unbeaten on 36 and dragged Australia past 300 before sending Ben Duckett on his way in the third over of England’s innings. He also made his side’s only other breakthrough before tea.

Zak attack

When Zak Crawley gets it right, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Fortune favours the brave and he cashed in on some early luck by continuing to impose his shotmaking style, dominating the middle session with over 100 runs. The opener’s second 50 came off just 26 deliveries, as he mowed down Australia’s total in fearsome partnerships with Moeen Ali (121 runs) and Joe Root (206). He turned the game right in England’s favour.

Rattled or confused? Or both?

Australia has finally been Bazballed. The commentary team attempted to put a word to the action before tea – rattled, perhaps confused – but the answer was right under their noses. England’s famed style of play put the tourists to the sword, particularly in the second session where 178 runs were scores at a rate of 7.12. They made uncharacteristic errors – see Cummins’ two missed catches off Moeen – and failed to enact a tactic which helped stem the flow of runs. Rattled, confused, and most likely beaten now.

Anyone know a good spinner?

Though all of Australia’s bowlers copped some tap, the glaring omission of a front line spinner has already come back to bite the tourists. Looking for a change of pace after 22 overs, Cummins turned to Travis Head and the part-timer was immediately taken down by a Crawley reverse sweep for four, and slog sweep for six. It means Australia will likely have to squeeze more out of its five seamers, and perhaps even look to Marnus Labuschagne or Steve Smith for a chop-out in the remainder of this Test.

The rains are… coming

Now firmly behind the eight ball, Australia will hope the forecast for rain on Saturday and Sunday pulls through. Perhaps it seeped into the visitors’ thinking and added complacency on the opening two days, conversely seeing England successfully advance the game with pure aggression. The Aussies are in for more of the same tomorrow as England will likely look to set up a steep enough declaration total with limited game time in the offing.

DAY TWO SCORECARD

1st Innings: Australia 317 (90.2)
Mitch Marsh 51 (60), Marnus Labuschagne 51 (115), Travis Head 48 (65)
Chris Woakes 5-62 (22.2), Stuart Broad 2-68 (14), James Anderson 1-51 (20)

2nd Innings: England 4-384 (72)
Zak Crawley 189 (182), Joe Root 84 (95), Moeen Ali 54 (82)
Mitchell Starc 2-74 (15), Cameron Green 1-40 (10), Josh Hazlewood 1-62 (15)

England leads by 67 runs.

SESSION BREAKDOWN

SESSION 1:
Australia 2-18 (7.2) | England 1-61 (16)
Points to… England

Notes: Some steely Starc batting helps add 18 to Australia’s total as the tourists are bowled out within the opening hour. The left-armer then makes the first breakthrough in England’s innings before Crawley and Moeen consolidate.

SESSION 2:
England 1-178 (25)
Points to… England

Notes: England accelerates with a scoring rate of 7.12 per over. A few edgy moments are soon forgotten as Crawley and Moeen both move past 50, and the Aussies look rattled. Without an answer, Crawley tons up and scores over 100 runs in the session with the tourists’ lead whittled down to 78 at tea.

SESSION 3:
England 2-146 (31)
Points to… England

Notes: Crawley and Root bring their partnership to over 200 but both are dismissed within five overs of each other before stumps. That leaves Harry Brook and Ben Stokes to consolidate and build England’s lead to 67 runs at the close of day two.