England's Zak Crawley Glad To 'Repay Faith' With Zimbabwe Hundred

Zak Crawley said he was glad to "repay the faith" of team management after ending a run of low scores with one of three England hundreds on the opening day of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe. The dominant hosts piled up 498 for three at Trent Bridge on Thursday as they surpassed the previous highest first-day team total in a Test in England of 475-2 compiled by an Australia side featuring batting great Donald Bradman at The Oval back in 1934.

Crawley made 124 and fellow opener Ben Duckett a blistering 140 before number three Ollie Pope top-scored with an unbeaten 169 after Zimbabwe had won the toss.

Kent batsman Crawley's last Test hundred came almost two years ago –- a superb Ashes innings of 189 at Old Trafford. But such was his slump in form, he averaged a woeful 8.66 during a three-match series away to New Zealand in December.

England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, however, remained steadfast in their support for the 27-year-old and Crawley was delighted to reward their confidence in him with a century on the opening day of the team's 2025 home international season.

- 'Right man for the job' -

"It's awesome to be backed by two people I respect massively," Crawley told reporters after stumps. "They obviously think I'm the right man for the job and I have that belief in myself as well.

"I want to repay that faith. I love being around this team, I love batting and I love scoring runs, especially for my country."

It had been suggested Jacob Bethell's return from Indian Premier League duty for the forthcoming five-match Test series with India could leave either Crawley or the also under-pressure Pope fearing for their place had they fallen cheaply in Nottingham.

Crawley, asked if talk about Bethell had