It was a record-breaking day for England on the second day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Southampton. The star was once again Zak Crawley who converted his maiden Test hundred into a superb innings of 267 and shared a record-breaking stand with Jos Buttler.
England batted the visitors out of the match by declaring their first innings on a mammoth 583-8 with Buttler continuing his return to form by hitting 152. Buttler completed just the second hundred of his 47-match Test career and first as a wicketkeeper.
Crawley’s innings was the seventh highest maiden hundred in 143 years of Test cricket and the 10th highest individual score by any England batsman.
His partnership of 359 with Buttler was also a new England fifth-wicket record in Tests, surpassing the 254 shared by Keith Fletcher and Tony Greig against India in Mumbai in 1973.
It was also the equal sixth-highest stand for any England wicket at Test level.
Crawley reached 200 when he edged a four past second slip off teenage pacer Naseem Shah – his 25th boundary in 331 balls.
Crawley, 22, became the seventh England batsman to turn his maiden Test hundred into a double ton and the first since Rob Key did so against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2004.
The Kent batsman lofted leg-spinner Yasir Shah over long-off for six before a clipped boundary off paceman Mohammad Abbas saw him to 250. But his near 10-hour innings ended when he was stumped down the legside by Mohammad Rizwan off part-time spinner Asad Shafiq.
Crawley faced 393 balls, hitting 34 fours and one six. Together with Buttler, he had taken England from 127-4 to 486-5.
However, it could have been a different tale for England and Buttler. The wicketkeeper was on 99 when, after his counterpart Rizwan came up to the stumps, he was given out caught behind off Abbas.
Buttler immediately reviewed umpire Richard Illingworth’s decision and replays showed the ball had missed the bat. Next ball, Buttler punched Abbas through point to complete a 189-ball hundred with 10 fours and two sixes.
Buttler too fell to a part-timer, Fawad Alam catching a return chance. Alam also accounted for all-rounder Chris Woakes (40) as England declared on 583, giving Pakistan an hour to bat before stumps.
An hour was enough to wreak havoc as England pacers decimated Pakistan's top order, James Anderson dismissing Shan Masood, Abid Ali and Babar Azam. The tourists took stumps at 24-3 and staring down the barrel.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
