Zak Crawley smashes a brilliant 189 as England dominate day two of must-win fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford to lead by 67 runs

This is why England have always been so stubbornly determined to believe in Zak Crawley, even when all conventional cricketing logic demanded that he be dropped.

This is why they have always been adamant about sticking to their Bazball principles, even in the Ashes against the best Test team in the world.

This was total vindication for Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Rob Key in their almost evangelical quest to not only transform England, but reinvent the world of Test cricket.

What a second day of this fourth test and what a performance from the much maligned Crawley and an England team who took their ultra-positive style to new, rarefied levels.

Rarely can an English side have so utterly dominated the old foe on a day of an Ashes Test in any era.

Nearly every Australian player came out to congratulate the Kent batsman after he was finally sacked

Joe Root (right) and Crawley put up a score of 200 as England took the game away from the visitors

And rarely could an Australian team have looked so ragged, confused and so utterly bereft of ideas and imagination in the face of a relentless England attack.

Whether or not England have enough time to pull off a series equalizer over the next three days, when the weather in Manchester is arguably worst, it was decisive proof that this is how Test cricket can both be saved and thrive in the franchise era.

By the end of an extraordinary day, England had broken 384 for four in 72 overs, a lead of 67, and Crawley had finally allayed any remaining doubts that he belongs in this top-flight England team.

The bare facts of Crawley’s innings tell the tale. He went to 50 by swiping Australia’s part-time spinner Travis Head’s first ball back for four and then slogging his next ball for six as if to highlight Australia’s mistake in not choosing specialist Todd Murphy.

Back in the 90s Crawley was playing with Australia when he hit a four over third man, saw the unlucky Pat Cummins put in a ball late and then Mitchell Starc crashed through the covers with a shot reminiscent of his opening ball of the series salvo.

He reached his fourth Test hundred in just 93 balls, the second fastest in Old Trafford Test history and behind only Ian Botham’s mighty 86-ball effort here in 1981, with his second 50 after just 26 deliveries.

And he reached the fastest 150 in any Manchester test off just 152 balls with two glorious straight drives in successive balls from poor Cummins.

Finally out for 189 to play on against Cameron Green, Crawley had hit three sixes and 21 fours, added 206 with Joe Root for the third wicket in 29 overs, overtaken Usman Khawaja as the top scorer in the series with less than half the balls – and driven Australia to absolute distraction with his sublime stroke-play.

Root was dismissed by someone inexplicably low, bowled by Josh Hazlewood for 84

Mitchell Starc was forced off the field with a shoulder injury in another blowout for Australia

Yes, there were some anxious moments for Crawley, not the least of which was when he was given lbw by Joel Wilson on 20 off green only for technology to show the ball was missing. In reality it is always wise to review Wilson’s decisions and Crawley did not hesitate to do so.

There were also a few inside edges for four and the occasional other injudicious shot, but this was an even better innings from Crawley than his 267 against Pakistan in the Covid summer of 2020 when there was no one in the Ageas Bowl to cheer him on.

There was a packed house at Old Trafford to cheer him on now and cheer him loud and fervently, as every member of the Australian side graciously raced to congratulate Crawley as he walked away acknowledging a truly great innings.

it was the middle session that summed it all up. Not only was it the best session of the Bazball era, but arguably one of the best in England Test history.

England hit 178 in the session in just 25 overs, 106 for Crawley alone, as they ran the entire session at seven a minute as Australia looked rudderless, fielders flailing their arms everywhere and Cummins unsure how to react.

On any other day, Root’s contribution would stand out, but now his 84, including a reverse disaster for six from Mitchell Marsh and the same shot from Cummins’ extra tempo for four, played much second fiddle. Only a grubber from Josh Hazlewood was able to beat Root, even encouraging England’s backing down the field.

The day had started perfectly for England when Cummins, resuming the Australian innings at 299 for eight, hit the first ball to cover – could he ever have had a worse day in Test cricket? – to give Jimmy Anderson a much needed wicket.

Chris Woakes then quickly had last man Hazlewood caught by Crawley on slip, but TV referee Kumar Dharmasena inexplicably ruled there was no ball based on the flimsiest evidence.

In any case, it only took England 17 runs as Woakes was able to complete his first five wicket haul against Australia before Ben Duckett quickly left as they answered.

Moeen Ali put up 54 as he entered at number 3 as England bounced back quickly after Ben Duckett went for one

England made short work of finishing Australia’s tail as Chris Woakes sealed his first five-for against the visitors

It was England’s only real low of the day. Moeen Ali batted responsibly and then stylishly into his new No. 3 position to push past 3,000 runs and complete the all-rounder’s Test double, along with 200 Test wickets, two Tests quicker than Andrew Flintoff.

And when Moeen was well caught by Khawaja for 54 after being missed twice by a derivative Cummins Crawley and Root took England’s batting to another level.

There would be no crazy statement this time, and rightly so, and England will try to score just as fast this morning to try and make it a three-inning game and knock Australia out before the rain comes.

And if they do that and put the mother and father of all Ashes deciders on the Oval next week, that will be quite a remarkable achievement.