Zak Crawley hits century on dominant day for England in Antigua

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The England top-order batter had gone 21 innings without reaching triple figures since his outstanding 257 against Pakistan in 2020. And Crawley had only reached 50 in two of those 21 innings, one of a number of English players to struggle in the top three over recent years.

But, after seeing off a testing opening period against the new ball, Crawley bedded in and worked his way to a deserved ton, forging a 193-run partnership with captain Joe Root that has given England an outside chance of putting pressure on West Indies on the final day.

The home side added just two runs to their overnight score, with Jack Leach picking up the tenth West Indian wicket off just the third ball of the day.

Jayden Seales reviewed, but DRS upheld the original lbw decision as West Indies were all out for 375, with Nkrumah Bonner top-scoring with his 123.

The new ball immediately caused problems for the two England opening batters, with Kemar Roach extracting plenty of movement in his first spell.

And the pressure told for Alex Lees, who succumbed to a second low score of the match, trapped in-front by Roach, as he had been in the first innings, to be sent back for 6 off 27 balls.

Two single-figure scores in his first two outings in Test cricket was not the start that the 28-year-old would have dreamt of, but England have backed the Durham batter for at least the remainder of this three-match series in the Caribbean, and he will be given a chance to bounce back from what has been a tough debut at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Crawley and Root survived the remainder of a tricky first session, overhauling the West Indies’ first-innings lead of 64 and reaching 72/1 at lunch.

As the ball grew soft and the threat subsided, Crawley and Root built a handy score through the afternoon session, with the partnership only interrupted by a scattering of rain showers that forced a handful of short rain delays.

Veerasammy Permaul thought he had burgled a wicket shortly before tea, appealing that a Crawley under-edge had bounced straight back up off his boot and into the hands of slip. But the soft signal was not out and the review supported the decision, with Crawley surviving.

And the youngster took advantage after the interval, bringing up his hundred with a flick into the leg side for two, reaching the milestone off 181 balls.

The run rate increased to well over three-an-over throughout the final session, but rain ensured that it was a stop-start affair in Antigua, with the players going on and off repeatedly before a heavy final shower brought the day to a close with England on 217/1.

England will resume on the final day 153 runs ahead, with Crawley unbeaten on 117* and Root 16-runs away from his 24th Test century.

England Men's WTC Test Tour of the Caribbean

First Test: March 8-12 in Antigua
Second Test: March 16-20 in Barbados
Third Test: March 24-28 in Grenada