Headingley Witnessing Historic Batting Display by Duckett and Crawley

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley delivered a performance for the ages at Headingley, achieving a historic partnership. Facing India’s challenging total of 371, the English openers accomplished something that hasn’t been seen by an English pair in the fourth innings since 1984. The Indian bowling attack was unable to contain Duckett and Crawley’s aggressive play on the final day. Both batsmen completed their half-centuries, rapidly closing in on the victory target for England. Duckett’s display was particularly noteworthy; he repeated his excellent batting form from the first innings, reaching his half-century in just 66 balls. The pair’s partnership of 100+ runs in the fourth innings marked a first for an English duo at Headingley since Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge’s 106-run stand in 1984. At the time of the report, the duo had already scored 140 runs for the first wicket without losing a wicket. Furthermore, Duckett joined an elite group, becoming only the second English opener in the past three decades to score fifties in both innings of a Test match at Headingley, with Alastair Cook being the last to achieve this in 2015.