Zak Crawley on Saturday said that hundred on Day 4 of the 1st Test between West Indies and England in Antigua means a lot to him. The England opener conceded that he was clouded in self-doubt as his lean patch was getting to his head in the lead up to their tour of the West Indies.

Zak Crawley showed signs of being the top-order batter that England were looking for when he hit a double hundred against Pakistan in 2020, smashing 267 but he had struggled ever since. He had scored only 2 fifties since his double hundred but the 24-year-old stepped up and hit 117 not out that helped England reach a position of safety in the first of the ongoing 3-match series.

He hardly even had a chance to get his eye in before being sent packing, failing to reach double figures in 11 of his 16 subsequent appearances at the crease.

“It means an awful lot,” Crawley, 24, said after ending the day unbeaten on 117 as England earned an overall lead of 153 runs with nine wickets in hand in their second innings.

“It’s been a while since my first ton and there were times last year when I didn’t think I’d get (another) so I’m very pleased with the performance and pleased with the position we’re in.”

‘CALM-HEADED ROOT’

Crawley shared in an unbeaten 193-partnership with captain Joe Root (84), whose calm presence certainly did no harm.

Root advised Crawley to play each ball on its merits, rather than trying to force the issue.

“He was telling me to stay concentrated and we just had to weather those storms (of good bowling) and come back and score more freely at times,” Crawley said.

“He’s such a calm head and so experienced I took a lot from him and he played beautifully himself.”