Veteran batter Zak Crawley said that he was glad to “repay the faith” of team management after having a run of low scores with a hundred on the opening day of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe as well. However, the hosts managed 498 runs 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 as well.

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

“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.”

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However, it had been stated that Jacob Bethell’s return from IPL duty for the upcoming five-match Test series with India could leave either Crawley or Pope as well. Crawley replied: “I can’t speak for Ollie but I certainly don’t feel like that.”

He again added, “Throughout my career, from when I was very young, I have always been made a better player by people around me doing well and forcing me to do better.”

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“Stepping up to the next level, playing a team like England, you need to be able to challenge them for longer periods,” said Zimbabwe bowling coach Charl Langeveldt. “I think when you play in these conditions, you have to get used to the length. And with England, they’ll hit your good balls as well, so you kind of feel for the guys.”

“But my medical doctor, he spoke to me, he said it’s just a bit of stiffness. We’ll reassess tonight and then tomorrow (Friday) morning we’ll have a look,” he concluded.