Young gun Crawley shines as England unearth a No.3

Zac Crawley has never had a better feeling on a cricket field, and England may be feeling similarly joyous after finally unearthing a first-drop batsman capable of reaching triple figures.

Crawley became the first England No.3 in four years to score a century on home soil as the 22-year-old's maiden Test hundred helped the hosts dominate Pakistan on the opening day of the third Test in Southampton on Friday.

Captain Joe Root was the last man to score a ton from the position in England, back in 2016, but has made it clear he prefers the No.4 slot. Not since Jonathan Trott have they had a bankable No.3.

But Crawley's breakout score, which swelled to an unbeaten 171 at stumps as he looks to become the nation's youngest double century maker since David Gower, is a positive sign ahead of the next Ashes in Australia the summer after next.

The tall right-hander's unbroken 205-run stand with Jos Buttler, who reached 87 not out at the close of play, is already the second highest of England's Test season as the home side reached 4-322.

It was only Crawley's fourth first-class century and he admitted he found the milestone difficult to keep out of his mind as he approached it.

"When I was on about 25, I felt in decent touch, and I couldn't stop thinking about it," he admitted after play. "Luckily when I got to about 70 I calmed down a bit. That whole period in the middle there, it just seemed really on.

"I could see the nets. I could see all the times I've gone to hit balls on my own. You do question yourself when you're in a run of ducks.

"But it all seemed worth it. It was a feeling that it was all worth it.

"It's the best feeling I've had on a cricket field. Just how I imagined it. It was an unbelievable feeling of elation out there and it makes you want it more. Hopefully there are a few more to come after this."

It had not been all plain sailing for England early on, as Shaheen Afridi sent opener Rory Burns packing 27 balls after Root had elected to bat first on a low Ageas Bowl track.

Crawley clipped his first ball for a boundary but was nearly bowled by Shaheen on his second, just about summing up the left-arm quick's day; threatening often, but conceding nearly four runs an over.

A quite remarkable – but accurate – decision from umpire Michael Gough saw Dom Sibley out to leg-spinner Yasir Shah despite having advanced some way down the pitch.

Crawley raced to 45 off just 46 deliveries but then needed another 34 balls to reach fifty, hitting a delightful off-drive off Afridi for four on the stroke of lunch.

Root was victim to a sensational delivery from the otherwise profligate Naseem Shah, who trapped the hosts' skipper on the crease and found his edge as wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan took a superb diving catch.

And when Yasir bowled Ollie Pope for three, England were teetering at 4-127.

Yet Buttler and Crawley proved immovable, with the latter overcoming the nerves of going to tea three short of a ton to reach his century off Mohammad Abbas.

"To find the gap and to run two and come back knowing I had my first Test hundred... I was trying to stay calm but inside I was absolutely buzzing," said Crawley on his ton.

He and Buttler piled on 148 between them in the final session, with Buttler in sight of a second Test century after struggling at times in recent Tests.

England XI: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (c), Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Pakistan XI: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah

The third Test between England and Pakistan will be live streamed in Australia on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app by signing up for a free Cricket ID. The match will also be broadcast via Fox Cricket on Foxtel and Kayo