Crawley blasts a ton as England erupts post-lunch on day two of the 4th Ashes test

Zak Crawley was unbeaten on 132 after England launched into Australia's bowling post-lunch and rocketed to 239-2 on day two of the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford on Thursday. Crawley led a partnership of 121 from 152 balls with Moeen Ali, then 109 from 86 with Joe Root, who was on 44 at tea. Crawley scored 106 on his own in the middle session.

England has to win here to keep the series alive, and warned Australia beforehand that it would try to force a quick result because Saturday's play may be lost to forecasted rain. If England doesn't win, Australia will retain the Ashes. With that in mind after Australia was bowled for 317 in the morning, England added an entertaining 178 runs after lunch from 25 overs at more than seven per over.

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(Zak Crawley in action during the 4th Ashes Test / Image: AP)

The Australians were befuddled, especially expensive captain Pat Cummins. Starc has taken the only two wickets. England's first 100 took 22.1 overs. The second 100 took 13.2 overs. Crawley beat Ali to a fifty after lunch, his second of the series. Ali followed off 74 balls, to a rousing ovation from the crowd. Ali came out of test retirement for the series as emergency spin cover, then volunteered to bat at No. 3 when Ollie Pope was injured out of the series. Ali made it his job to give Joe Root and Harry Brook distance from the new ball and excelled at Old Trafford with his first test fifty in 4 1/2 years.

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He was dropped on 53 but out for 54 at 130-2 when he hit Mitchell Starc in front of square and gave Usman Khawaja a two-hand diving catch. That brought in Root, who smacked the first ball he faced from Starc to the boundary.

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Crawley reached a streaky century with lots of edged shots from 93 balls, the second fastest by an England opener in test history. The only quicker one was his own off 86 balls last year in Pakistan. He and Root were so comfortable on a slow pitch against an aging ball that they hit sixes close to the interval. Root reverse-ramped Mitch Marsh over deep third and Crawley slog-swept Travis Head over cow corner.