Hundred reasons why Zak needs ton

ZAK CRAWLEY admits he is dreaming of scoring a Test hundred for England, even if the weather in Southampton has limited his chances this week.

The 22-year-old was recalled at No3 for the weather-affected Second Test ostensibly because a thigh injury that prevented Ben Stokes from bowling meant England opted to drop a batsman to play an extra seamer.

Yet Crawley is highly rated following a promising debut winter in New Zealand and South Africa. The closest he has come to reaching three figures was the 76 he made in the first Test of the summer against the West Indies.

Now, seven matches into his international career, the Kent batsman is desperate to achieve the landmark. ‘I think about it all the time,’ said Crawley. ‘I think about scoring a hundred in my room at night. I massively want it for England. But I don’t want to put myself under pressure. That could create too much pressure as I get closer.

‘I’m trying to score in little sets of 10. No doubt the first one is probably the hardest, so I’m looking forward to the day I hopefully get one. There’s a lot of hard work yet.’

It’s an achievement Joe Denly, his Kent team-mate, never managed in his 15 Tests before he was dropped.

Denly’s top score of 94 came against a fine Australia bowling attack in last summer’s final Ashes Test and even though it was an impressive effort, that he fell six runs shy probably had a big impact on the decision to axe him.

‘That’s a picture where stats lie,’ said Crawley. ‘There’s no hundreds next to his name but he played some crucial knocks for England. That 94 is as good as any hundred against a lesser attack. It was one of the best knocks of his life.

‘It’s interesting the way things play out. Joe scored some great runs in New Zealand, fifties in South Africa on tricky pitches. He scored some great runs. But the currency is 100s. I don’t necessarily agree with it but it’s what we’re chasing.’

Other than four days at home late last month in between the West Indies and Pakistan series, England’s players and staff have been locked down inside a bio-secure bubble for almost two months.

But Crawley said: ‘It’s absolutely fine. Obviously you’d like to be around family and friends and go to restaurants. But if this is what it takes to play Test cricket I’d stay in here for a while longer.

“It’s like a pre-season training camp and it always seems to have a unifying effect. It feels a bit like we’re all pretty used to each other now. If we come out of it stronger it will be very good for the side going forward.

‘There is a couple of cheats in the card games. Jos Buttler and Rory Burns. I have to keep my eyes on them. You’re only cheating yourself, I say to them.’

As for the issue of bad light that has plagued this Test, Crawley added: ‘It’s definitely frustrating. You always want the game moving forward, especially when I’d like a bat.

“But I was at deep square [on Friday evening] when a couple of balls got hit out and I didn’t see them at all really. It’s a difficult one.’