Zak Crawley Praises Joe Root After Historic Test Century in Australia
Crawley's Admiration for Root
After Joe Root achieved his first Test century in Australia, his teammate Zak Crawley expressed his joy, labeling Root as a 'champion bloke' and the finest player he has ever played alongside.
Root, who had faced a long drought of 15 Tests and 29 innings without a century in Australia, finally broke that streak, marking a significant milestone in his Test career. As the second-highest run-scorer in history, trailing only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar's 15,921 runs, Root's century adds a crucial chapter to his legacy. This century, his 40th in Test cricket, signifies his triumph over the last major challenge in his batting career.
"I am thrilled for him," Crawley shared with TNT Sports, as reported by a sports news outlet. "He hasn't mentioned it to us; he’s focused solely on contributing to the team's score, and today he proved that with a hundred."
"He is the best player I have ever played with, or even against. I am genuinely delighted for him," he concluded.
Crawley's Performance Overview
In his Australian Test career, Crawley has amassed 1,035 runs at an average of 38.33, including one century and nine fifties across 16 Tests and 30 innings. Overall, he has scored 13,686 runs in 160 Tests at an impressive average of 51.45, with 40 centuries and 66 fifties, his highest score being 262.
After a disappointing performance in the Perth Test, where he was dismissed for a pair by Mitchell Starc, Crawley felt relieved to contribute significantly to England's first innings with a score of around 70.
"I felt good today, much better than in Perth. I aimed to keep it simple, focusing on scoring on the leg side and occasionally on the off side. I was pleased with my innings," he remarked.
During his innings, Crawley hit 11 fours and maintained a strike rate of 81.72 from 93 balls. He was cautious with deliveries outside off-stump, having worked hard on this aspect in the nets after the Perth loss. However, he expressed disappointment at not capitalizing further on a favorable pitch.
"I felt calm and managed to settle my nerves. I had a clear plan and executed it well, although I had a couple of loose shots. I was happy with how I played down the ground. I left the balls outside off better today, and as I settled in, the ball started to do less," he explained.
"The pitch looked great for batting, especially after it was shaved this morning. I was disappointed to get out when I did, as the pitch was becoming more favorable," he added.
When England was nine down for 264, Crawley noted that there was "no talk of declaring" to force the Australians to bat under the lights, even as Root and Jofra Archer were performing well.
"We discussed going hard, and if anyone got out, it would be a win-win situation. They played aggressively, and it paid off with a valuable 50-run partnership between Root and Archer," he concluded.
Day 1 Match Summary
In the match, England won the toss and chose to bat first. After Mitchell Starc's impressive bowling (6/71) reduced England to 5/2, with both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope dismissed for ducks, Root and Crawley formed a solid partnership, adding 117 runs together. Crawley scored 76 off 93 balls, hitting 11 fours, followed by another half-century partnership with Harry Brook (31 off 33 balls).
Australia made crucial breakthroughs, including a run-out of England captain Ben Stokes (19) by Josh Inglis, leaving England at 264/9. Starc achieved his sixth five-wicket haul in pink-ball Tests. However, Root and Jofra Archer (32* off 26 balls, including a four and two sixes) helped England finish the day at 325/9 after 74 overs.