Oval Talking Points: Crawley's canter, Stokes stays on... and let's talk about the light

The Cricketer look at the main talking points as England and South Africa face off on day four of the third Test at the Kia Oval

Movement That Inspires play of the day

It has been a tough summer for Zak Crawley.

England's opener has been in a wretched run of form - until Sunday he had been without a half-century since the Antigua Test against West Indies in March - and as the weeks past so he saw his position in the team come under ever increasing media and fan scrutiny.

So to pull out this sort of innings, and effectively settle this series, showed tremendous gumption.

Crawley was elegant and emphatic in his shot selection and execution, driving majestically off front and back foot and through mid-on as he made his way to the eighth fastest fifty by an Englishman in Test cricket.

But it was the stroke which took him to the landmark which stood out the most. 

Kagiso Rabada, the best of South Africa's bowlers during a trying evening session, strayed marginally onto Crawley's pads. The light, while hardly dying, was beginning to fade. The floodlights were starting to take effect. It is at this time of day when mistakes can be made and aggression can prove to be the downfall of many a batsman.

That was not to be the case for Crawley here. He wrapped his wrists around the delivery, meeting it on the half-volley with a sweet connection which saw it scooting to the fence at double-speed. It was a world-class shot, the shot not of a man scratching for runs but a top-drawer opener at the peak of his game. 

It is a shame that this innings has come at the very end of the summer, but if it is a sign of how Crawley treats the flat, fast pitches of Pakistan, we might just in for a captivating December.

^{Zak Crawley made his first Test fifty of the summer [Getty Images]}

Leadership That Inspires

It's been happening his entire career and, once again on Sunday, as Ben Stokes flogged himself in search of crucial wickets for his team, it happened again.

The England captain charged in, teed up a drive ball for Marco Jansen which seamed slightly off the surface and enticed a false shot. Ollie Pope took a superb catch low to his right in the slips. England had South Africa seven down - only for umpire Richard Kettleborough to stretch out one arm to signal a no ball. 

By now, Stokes was sloping around the outfield, evidently in some discomfort from his troublesome left knee. He had bowled 10 overs in the innings, and already collected the crucial wicket of Proteas captain Dean Elgar after early resitance. Most would have opted for a break, taking the no ball call as a sign from the heavens. But would Stokes pack in his spell? Not a chance.

Instead, the skipper persevered - insisting on showing the way to victory himself. And of course he delivered... in his very next over.

Instead of the out-ducker, this one moved inwards in the air and continued off the wicket. Jansen was beaten on the inside edge, and middle stump was topped. He had added no more to his tally. England were significantly closer to a series win. After tea, he took two balls to dislodge Rabada, and ended up with 3 for 39, pretty much standing on one leg.

That is the leader Stokes is: stubborn, committed, dependable. 

^{Ben Stokes muscled his way to three second-innings wickets [Getty Images]}

Regulation ruins the day

England's romp to victory was ended abruptly, 33 runs short, by the umpires and their lightmeters.

Of course, it is too much to pour the blame on the officials - they could not fairly apply the regulations without upsetting someone - and so England will just have to settle for celebrating the end of their magnificent Test summer at 11.20am on a Monday, in front of a few hundred stewards.

But the silliness of the situation should lead both the ECB and ICC to think further about the entertainment product they are delivering for supporters in the ground. Because this was a chance to generate a captivating atmosphere, which ended up seeing thousands jog for exits while Stokes double tea-potted on the balcony and Joe Root mouthed "bulls***" at the back of the England dressing room. 

Firstly, Test matches in September in the UK should follow the domestic playing conditions and begin at 10.30am not 11am. Never will an extra half-hour in mid-September be of any use at the end of proceedings.

Secondly, perhaps those who run world cricket should consider a return to the days when batsmen could decide whether or not they remained on the pitch. Or even a consensus between batsmen and fielding captain. The meter reading on Saturday ultimately put paid to a big finish for a lot of people who paid a lot of money to be at the ground. 

It is just another example of the juggling act caused by the integration of sport and entertainment, but perhaps more power to the players would result in better spectacles all round.

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