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Zak Crawley

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Zak Crawley
Crawley in 2022
Personal information
Born (1998-02-03) 3 February 1998 (age 28)
Bromley, Kent
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[1]
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off-break
RoleTop-order batter
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 695)29 November 2019 v New Zealand
Last Test4 January 2026 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 260)8 July 2021 v Pakistan
Last ODI22 January 2026 v Sri Lanka
ODI shirt no.6
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2015–PresentKent
2021–2023London Spirit
2022/23Hobart Hurricanes
2023/24Perth Scorchers
2024/25Sunrisers Eastern Cape
2025Northern Superchargers (squad no. 15)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 64 9 148 32
Runs scored 3,586 205 8,293 948
Batting average 31.18 25.62 31.77 32.68
100s/50s 5/21 0/2 12/50 1/6
Top score 267 58* 267 120
Catches/stumpings 70/– 8/– 138/– 19/–
Source: Cricinfo, 9 September 2026

Zak Crawley (born 3 February 1998) is an English international cricketer who plays Test and One Day International (ODI) matches for England. A right-handed top-order batter, Crawley also captained the team in two ODIs against Ireland in 2023. Domestically, he plays for Kent County Cricket Club.

Crawley made his international debut in November 2019 during England's tour of New Zealand. After scoring 267 runs in 2020, he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 2021 edition of the almanack. His mentor is former Kent captain Rob Key, the Director of Men's Cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Early life

[edit]

Crawley was born in Bromley in Kent, and was educated at New Beacon School in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge School.[2][3] His father Terry is a retired City of London futures trader. Terry began his working life as a carpet fitter before becoming one of Britain's highest-paid men, making the Sunday Times Rich List following his career change.[4][5][6]

Crawley has represented Kent from the under-11 level onwards,[5] is a graduate of the Kent Cricket Academy, and has played club cricket for Holmesdale, Knockholt, and Sevenoaks Vine.[7] He made his Second XI debut for Kent in 2013 at age 15.[8][9] At the end of the 2015 season, he signed his first professional contract with the club.[10] By that time, he had become a regular Second XI player and was selected for the England Elite Player Development programme for London.[10][11][12] During the 2016–17 English winter, Crawley played Western Australian Grade Cricket for Wembley Districts.[13]

Cricket career

[edit]

Crawley made his senior debut for Kent in the 2017 Royal London Cup against Essex at Canterbury on 17 May 2017.[14] He made his first-class debut against a touring West Indies side on 6 August 2017 during the 166th Canterbury Cricket Week, scoring 62 runs in his first innings. He then made his County Championship debut for Kent at the end of the same month.[15][16] After playing four Championship matches during the tail end of the season, he signed a contract extension in October 2017.[7][17][18]

Crawley was part of the Kent squad for the 2017–18 Regional Super50 competition in the West Indies in early 2018. He scored his maiden List A half-century in Kent's opening match against Guyana, finishing with 60 runs as an opening batsman.[19][20] He then scored 99 not out against the Leeward Islands in the county's third match of the tournament.[21] The match ended controversially when the Leeward Islands bowled wide balls, which some viewed as an attempt to deny Crawley his century.[22]

During the 2018 season, Crawley became a regular in the Kent team, playing in all of the team's first-class matches as well as occasional limited-overs games. He was Kent's third-highest run-scorer in the County Championship, with 755 runs at an average of 31.46.[23] After twice being dismissed in the 90s, he scored his maiden first-class century in the final home match of the season, making 168 against Glamorgan at Canterbury in September.[24][25] He signed a contract extension at the end of the season[23] before playing New South Wales Grade cricket during the 2018/19 winter.[26] Playing for Sydney Cricket Club, he set a new record for the fastest century scored in the competition, making 100 from 42 balls in the T20 Cup against Sutherland District Cricket Club.[27]

Crawley was drafted by London Spirit for the inaugural season of The Hundred but only featured once, scoring 64 as an opening batsman in a loss to Birmingham Phoenix.[28][29] He was retained for the 2022 season.[30] He also played for the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2022–23 Big Bash League, scoring a half-century on debut in his first appearance in an overseas franchise league.[31][32]

International call-up

[edit]

Despite averaging less than 35 runs per innings in county cricket in 2018 and 2019, Crawley was seen as a potential international batsman.[33][34] Following a series of good batting performances at the start of the 2019 season, including scoring two centuries, Crawley made his England Lions debut in a four-day match against Australia A in July at Canterbury, the first time he had played for any England team.[35][36] He scored 820 County Championship runs during the season and, in September 2019, was named in the England's Test match squad for their 2019/20 tour of New Zealand, one of four uncapped players included in the squad for the tour.[33][37][38] After scoring a century in a warm-up match,[39][40] Crawley was brought into the team for the second Test following an injury to Jos Buttler, making his debut at Seddon Park on 29 November aged 21.[41]

After scoring only one run on debut, batting at number 6, he was retained in the squad for the tour of South Africa in December and January. Following an injury to opening batsman Rory Burns, Crawley made his second Test appearance in the second Test against South Africa, this time opening the batting. He was praised for his temperament and approach although some technical issues with his batting were also commented on.[42][43] He made scores of 4 and 25 in the match, but also took two catches during the final innings of the match.[44][45] He went on to play in the remaining two matches of the series, scoring his first Test half-century in the final test.[46]

International arrival in 2020

[edit]

Crawley signed a three-year contract extension with Kent in March 2020.[46] In May, he was named in a group of 55 players to begin training ahead of international fixtures during the COVID-19 pandemic[47][48] and in June was included in England's 30-man squad to start training behind closed doors for the Test series against the West Indies.[49][50] He played in the first two Tests of the summer, scoring 76 in the second innings of the first Test to increase his Test match highest score,[51] before playing in the second Test against Pakistan in August, scoring a half-century in a rain-affected match.[52]

He went on to make his maiden Test century in the following match, his eighth Test match, scoring 171 not out on the first day, passing his previous best first-class score in the process.[53][54][55] On the second day of the match, Crawley went on to score 267 runs before being stumped, an innings which included a new England record fifth wicket partnership of 359 runs with Jos Buttler.[56] Crawley's 267 became the second-highest maiden century scored by an England batsman in Test cricket, behind R. E. Foster's 287, and he became the third-youngest double centurion for England.[57][58] Crawley's performances during 2020 led to him being named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 2021 edition of the almanack.[59] Crawley is a top-order batsman who has been described as "very strong" technically[60] and as a "natural stroke maker".[53]

Crawley's long-standing mentor is former Kent captain Rob Key. Key has coached Crawley[61] and the pair aim to meet regularly throughout the cricket season. During the 2020 summer Crawley credited the work he had done with Key in helping his development, saying "I do as much as work as I can ... during the summers."[62]

Inconsistent international form in 2021 and 2022

[edit]

The following winter, Crawley was selected for the England tours of Sri Lanka and India.[63][64] In the lead up to the Indian series, he sprained his wrist after slipping while exiting the dressing room and missed the first two matches.[65] He returned to the team for the third Test, top-scoring with 53 runs in England's first innings[66] before playing in the home series against New Zealand. His batting in the series included three innings of fewer than five runs, with his best innings a score of 17 runs.[67]

Following the forced isolation of most of the England One Day International (ODI) squad after a COVID-19 outbreak, Crawley was named in the revised squad for their series against the touring Pakistanis in July 2021.[67][68] He made his ODI debut in the first match of the series, scoring an unbeaten half-century.[69] In Test matches, however, Crawley's form with the bat remained poor in 2021, and his 16 innings during the year saw 11 single-figure scores and a Test batting average for the year of 10.81.[70][71]

He lost his place in the team during the summer, but his central contract was renewed and he was retained in the squad for the 2021–22 Ashes series in Australia.[72][73] He was recalled to the team for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, the third of the series, after England had batted poorly in the first matches of the tour, although he scored poorly in the match.[72][74] A score of 77 runs from 100 balls in the fourth Test saw him retain his place for the remainder of the five-match series,[75][76] and he was selected to tour the West Indies in early 2022.

Crawley scored his second Test century during the first match of the West Indies tour,[70] and his innings of 121 saw Viv Richards describe him as "a magnificent player".[77][78] However, his performances in the other two matches of the series led to critics questioning his shot selection, especially outside off stump, highlighting a tendency to get out playing the off drive when the ball is swinging.[79][80][81]

After being selected in the Test match squad for England's tour of Pakistan in late 2022, the team's first Test match tour of Pakistan since 2005,[82] Crawley opened the batting in the first match. He was one of four England batsmen to score a century in their first innings, coming close to becoming the first England player to score a century before lunch on day one.[83] Scoring rapidly on a "very flat pitch",[84] he made 122 runs and reached his century in 86 balls, setting a record for the fastest century by an England Test opener.[83][85] He scored a half-century in similar style in the second innings[86] and played in each of the remaining matches in the series.

2023 Ashes

[edit]

After being under pressure as a result of his lack of consistent runs, Crawley was selected in England's squad for the 2023 Ashes. He was England's top scorer during the series, scoring 480 runs at an average of over 50, including a score of 189 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.[87]

In the opening Test of the 2025 summer against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Crawley scored his fifth Test century.[88]

Crawley was selected in England's squad for the 2025 Ashes.[89] He was selected in all five tests in the series, which concluded with Australia defeating England 4–1. He scored 273 runs at an average of 27.30, the third highest of any England batsman.[90] His poor form in the series led to him being under pressure of being dropped from the Test squad for the upcoming summer.[91]

Following his poor form in the 2026 County Championship, with a high score of 44, Crawley was dropped from the England Test squad for the Crowe–Thorpe Trophy.[92] Following his dropping from the squad, Crawley elected to sit out two County Championship games for Kent, having failed to reach 50 in the season.[93] Crawley was appointed captain of Sunrisers Leeds for the 2026 The Hundred season.[94]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Martin, Ali (2020) Zak Crawley ready to stake his claim for England's No 3 berth against West Indies, The Guardian, 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. ↑ "Zak Crawley". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Greenslade, Nick (25 April 2020). "Zak Crawley and Ben Earl: The schoolmates who have risen to the top together". Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Garfield, Andrew (28 April 1999). "Cover Story: The bright side of Liffe". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 de Lisle, Tim (20 May 2021). "Zak Crawley: All the nets I'd done, all the times I'd gone on my own to hit some balls – it all seemed worth it". Wisden. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  6. ↑ Ehantharajah, Vithushan (2 July 2022). "Smothered by England's unwavering support, Zak Crawley is running out of ways to fail". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 November 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 "New deal for Kent's Crawley". Kent Online. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  8. ↑ Kent County Cricket Club Annual 2017, p.26, Kent County Cricket Club, 2017.
  9. ↑ Reigate Priory have a number of new faces on show in Sevenoaks friendly[permanent dead link], Surrey Mirror, 22 April 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Zak Crawley signs first professional contract with Kent". Kent Cricket. 27 October 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  11. ↑ Sealey, Louis (27 October 2015). "Bromley teenager signs first pro Kent deal". News Shopper. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  12. ↑ Hoad, Alex (27 October 2015). "Dream deal for Kent prospect". Kent Online. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Zak Crawley scores 4th fifty in Australia". Kent Cricket. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "Essex top group to secure semi-final berth". Cricinfo. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  15. ↑ "Dickson dominates before West Indies hit back late". ESPNcricinfo. 7 August 2017. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Radford hails workout for batsmen". ESPNcricinfo. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "Zak Crawley: Teenage Kent batsman signs contract extension". BBC Sport. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  18. ↑ Pyman, Tom (27 October 2017). "Promising batsman Zak Crawley signs contract extension at Kent". Kent News. Archived from the original on 3 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "Claydon takes career-best haul in tour opener". Kent Cricket. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Crawley relishing Tour chance". Kent Cricket. 3 February 2018.
  21. ↑ "Hurricanes go down to Kent by nine wickets". Guyana Chronicle. 7 February 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Crawley left on 99* in controversial finish as Kent ease to victory". ESPNcricinfo. 8 February 2018. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022.
  23. 1 2 Fordham, Josh (5 November 2018). "Crawley signs new deal". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018.
  24. ↑ Zak Crawley overcomes his 90s nerves with maiden century, ESPNcricinfo, 19 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  25. ↑ County Championship: Zak Crawley pushes Kent to promotion brink, BBC Sport, 19 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  26. ↑ Turbervill, Huw (26 March 2019). "Zak Crawley and the pursuit of three figures | The Cricketer". The Cricketer. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  27. ↑ Gavin, David (10 December 2018). "Crawley scores fastest century in Premier Cricket". Cricket NSW. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019.
  28. ↑ "The Hundred 2021: London Spirit Men's Team Preview, Squad List, Fixtures, Probable XI & Fantasy Draft Tips". Wisden. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  29. ↑ "BP-M vs LS-M Cricket Scorecard, 2nd Match at Birmingham, July 23, 2021". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 14 November 2025.
  30. ↑ Twigg, Sonia (5 April 2022). "Kieron Pollard joins London Spirit as top men's draft pick for 2022 Hundred". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022.
  31. ↑ Ammon, Elizabeth. "Zak Crawley's Hobart heroics outshone in record run chase". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  32. ↑ Howson, Nick (22 November 2022). "Zak Crawley: Hobart Hurricanes sign England batter as Shadab Khan replacement | The Cricketer". www.thecricketer.com. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  33. 1 2 "Who is England's Zak Crawley?". Wisden. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  34. ↑ Wigmore, Tim (11 July 2020). "Poor first-class average but made for Test cricket? Zak Crawley shows he can learn on the job". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  35. ↑ Hogwood, Cameron (6 July 2019). "Kent star to play for England Lions". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  36. ↑ "Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley in England Lions squad to face Australia A". ESPNcricinfo. 6 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  37. ↑ Barstow dropped from England Test squad for New Zealand series, International Cricket Council, 23 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  38. ↑ "A closer look at England's Test newcomers". Darlington and Stockton Times. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  39. ↑ Charlesworth, David (12 November 2019). "Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley score centuries in warm-up against New Zealand". The Independent. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  40. ↑ Martin, Ali (12 November 2019). "England's Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley record debut centuries in tour match". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  41. ↑ "England in New Zealand: Zak Crawley makes debut & Ollie Pope keeps". BBC Sport. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  42. ↑ Berry, Scyld (7 January 2020). "South Africa vs England second Test player ratings: Ben Stokes shines yet again as tourists hit form". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  43. ↑ Currie, David (5 January 2020). "Zak Crawley's confident Test opening for England hints at promise to come". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  44. ↑ Marks, Vic (9 January 2020). "Zak Crawley catching the eye for England in the field after promotion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  45. ↑ Ehantharajah, Vithushan (9 January 2020).