Ashes 2023 started as it was expected to start: with a bang from the England batters. There had been clear intentions before the series that the England batting unit was going to come hard as the Australians’ famed pace attack, no matter what.
But such was Crawley’s intentful, classy drive on the first ball of the first Test match at Edgbaston that resulted in the boundary, that it even left Ben Stokes astonished, let alone the English supporters in the Edgbaston crowd cheering with full noise.
The first ball of the much-awaited Ashes 2023 delivered as good as one could have hoped for. The talks, the drama, the hype, all was left behind when Zak Crawley whacked a full-length delivery outside off from Australian skipper Pat Cummins and creamed it into the covers for a boundary.
Sitting in the dressing room, England captain Ben Stokes gave a million-dollar reaction with his jaws left hanging looking at the sizzling start from his opener.
WATCH: Ben Stokes’ reaction to Zak Crawley’s first-ball boundary to kick-start the Ashes 2023 has gone viral
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtjC1F0AE98/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
A couple of more boundaries in the next two overs, and Australia were quick to put a deep cover in position, and later on a deep square leg too.
England race to 124/3 at Lunch
The Bazball was in full effect in the opening session of Ashes 2023 as England raced to 124/3 at Lunch at a good run-rate of 4.69, though England lost perhaps one wicket extra than they would have hoped for.
After left-handed opener Ben Duckett got out early to Hazlewood, Zak Crawley went on to notch up a brilliant half-century off 56 balls. Ollie Pope scored 31 runs off 44 balls before being dismissed by Lyon. Crawley got out on the stroke of Lunch to Boland.
