‘It was an unbelievable feeling of elation – it makes you want more’

Zak Crawley said that his maiden Test century was “just how I imagined it” after he hit a superb unbeaten 171.

His magnificent innings helped England to a dominant position in the third Test against Pakistan after they had slipped to a precarious 127 for four. Crawley partnered Jos Buttler to an unbroken stand of 205 to put England well on course to get the draw or victory they need to win a series against Pakistan for the first time since 2010.

“It was just how I imagined it – an unbelievable feeling of elation out there,” Crawley said of reaching his century. “It makes you want it more. Hopefully, there are a few more to come.

“It was an unbelievable feeling, to see everyone else up there on the balcony, clapping – it almost flashed before my eyes, my whole career so far.

“I could kind of see all the nets I’d done in the past and all the time I had gone on my own to hit some balls. It seemed all worth it. You do question yourself when you’re in a run of low scores and you can’t buy a run, whether it was worth it or whether you’re better off doing something else. But it was a feeling that it was all worth it and it was a great feeling.”

Crawley reached his century with a push through the covers when he had 99, which came off the last ball of an over from Mohammad Abbas.

“I was on 99 with one ball left and I didn’t want to have to wait an over on 99 so I was determined to play a shot to that ball,” he said. “To find the gap and to run two and come back knowing I had my first Test hundred, it was all a bit of a blur.

“I could see the lads on the balcony, I was trying to stay calm, but inside I was absolutely buzzing.”

Crawley, 22, had made just three first-class centuries before his maiden Test hundred, which is already his highest first-class score. He admitted he felt that he had been picked on potential.

“I felt like I had to prove myself and I still do,” he said. “It was nice to get that score and get that monkey off your back. I still feel like I’m