Zak Crawley puts on batting masterclass after hitting 171 as England dominate Pakistan

England knew they had another potential jewel in their batting crown the moment Zak Crawley made a century in his first warm-up game on tour last winter in New Zealand.

Since then, a young batsman who had not exactly stood out in the more modest environment of county cricket has gone from strength to strength until the inevitable defining moment of his first hundred in Test cricket.

Much has been made about the potential of Ollie Pope to become England’s next great Test batsman but Crawley showed on the first day of the final Test against Pakistan that he may well beat him to that exalted status. 

Zak Crawley celebrates his maiden Test century for England as he dominated at the crease

Jos Buttler (left) congratulates Crawley (R) after reaching 150 on the first day of the third Test

Crawley whips the ball into the on side as he looks to accelerate England’s scoring rate

Ollie Pope is bowled through the gate by Yasir Shah for three as Pakistan made inroads

How brilliant Crawley was in making an unbeaten 171 in a commanding 332 for four and how satisfying it is for England to see another piece of the Test jigsaw they hope will be completed when they go back to No 1 in the world.

From the moment Crawley sweetly clipped the first ball he received from Shaheen Afridi for four, he was in total control and by the time he reached three figures in the over after tea, Pakistan had lost their chance to take control.

They were still very much in this last Test of a unique biosecure summer when Yasir Shah bowled Pope to leave England on 127 for four after they had won the toss.

But when Crawley punched Mohammad Abbas through the covers for two to reach only his fourth first-class hundred, smiling almost self-consciously towards the England dressing-room as he accepted their acclaim, Pakistan’s heads began to drop. 

Naseem Shah celebrates after taking the vital wicket of England captain Joe Root for 29

Joe Root takes evasive action as he tries to fend off a short ball from Pakistan’s Naseem Shah

Yasir Shah successfully appeals for the wicket of Dom Sibley, who fell lbw for 22

If Friday belonged to Crawley then England will be just as pleased with the identity of his partner in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 205 that will surely be the launch pad for a series-clinching victory.

Jos Buttler has had to battle hard this summer to prove he belongs at this level but now, buoyed by his leading role in the miracle of Manchester alongside Chris Woakes that won England the first Test, he displayed the composure and class of a proper red-ball batsman. 

The biggest compliment that can be paid Buttler is that he looked just as fluent as Crawley in making an unbeaten 87 and his will be a very popular landmark within the England team if he goes on to make his second Test century.

For now that can wait while England savour the first Test hundred by their No 3 since Jonny Bairstow’s in Colombo almost two years ago and the vindication of a selection seemingly made ahead of schedule of a 22-year-old from Kent last winter.

Crawley is very much out of the school of Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, who were both plucked out of county cricket by Duncan Fletcher when their potential was evident despite relatively modest returns at a lesser level. 

Rory Burns watches on after edging Shaheed Afridi to slip to fall for just six early in the day

Shaheen Afridi celebrates after claiming the early scalp of opener Burns on Friday

As Nasser Hussain pointed out on these pages on Friday, Crawley is unusual among young batsmen in that he is happier off the back foot and that will be highly significant against the quicker bowling he will face in Test cricket. 

Crawley, who was unlucky to be left out of two of the other Tests this summer, first looked the part when thrust into the England side in South Africa after a modest debut in New Zealand and then when making two half-centuries this summer, both on this ground.

The second one came on the final afternoon of the ruined second Test when both sides could have been forgiven for going through the motions after rain and bad light had ruled out any chance of a positive result.

Instead Crawley took the opportunity to take the attack to Pakistan and was furious with himself when he failed to make the Test hundred he said was his dream. He did not have to wait long to put that right and he has the potential to go on to a very big daddy hundred today if England bat Pakistan out of this final Test and the series.

That position of superiority looked a long way away when Rory Burns again fell cheaply to Afridi — he averages just five in this series — and Dom Sibley was trapped lbw trying to rotate the strike against Yasir, a decision brilliantly given by the outstanding Michael Gough when the naked eye suggested there had to be a semblance of doubt.

Joe Root fell edging an absolute beauty from the extra pace of Naseem Shah and when Pope was trapped again on the back foot by Yasir, England were wobbling. 

Step forward Crawley, who rushed along to 45 then went through a slightly sticky patch before reaching his half century with a straight drive for four off the ball before lunch.

Only when on 83 and an attempted pull off Afridi ballooned high but landed in no-man’s land did he ever seem in any trouble in a phenomenal performance against a high-quality attack.

Crawley and Buttler ran Pakistan ragged after tea, Buttler switching into white-ball mode to deposit Yasir high into the empty stands, to complete a tremendous day’s cricket that was such a tonic after the self-defeating stoppages and recriminations from a farce of a second Test.

It was one that ended with England in total command and with a new batting star born. Now they need to go on to the score of 500-plus that will surely be enough to break the spirit of a Pakistan side who could, just as West Indies did towards the end of their long stay in the bubble, be running out of steam. 

Stuart Broad was presented with a silver stump after taking his 500th Test wicket this summer