The slowest and ugliest innings of Zak Crawley's career - but already his most valuable

It is all about partnerships. It, in this case, being the building of a team’s innings. 

Young batsmen around Britain, if they can tear their eyes away from the Hundred, should watch Zak Crawley’s masterclass so far in this second Test. It is a masterclass in not becoming frustrated, in not aiming to be perfectionist, but in leaving the new ball as often as possible, in doing a job for your partner and your team, never mind the personal glory. A masterclass in self-abnegation and resolution  - and in building a partnership that has turned this match England’s way - even if you have been out of nick all season.

This is the end of August and Crawley has come nowhere near a decent hundred in any form of cricket. His highest innings, but not best, was 84 for Kent against Northamptonshire’s change-bowlers in a championship game drifting to a draw. In 16 innings for Kent he has made 388 runs at an average of 24, embarrassingly out-scored by Jordan Cox, who will likely represent England in some format, and by Daniel Bell-Drummond, and by Ben Compton. The difference is that they have not had the full backing of England’s captain and head coach.

Crawley had scored seven runs by the time Joe Root was England’s third man out, with 43 on the board. Shortly before the close of play on the opening day, when England brought up their 100, Crawley had taken his score no further than eleven - eleven runs out of 100 - but he was still there: the slowest and ugliest innings of his career, but already the most valuable, given how rarely (twice) England have come from 1-0 down to win a three-Test series at home.

England’s fourth-wicket partnership between Crawley and Bairstow has so far added 68 runs, of which Crawley has scored ten, but his