In a remarkable innings, the England opener smashed 189 runs off just 182 deliveries, unleashing an onslaught of 21 fours and three sixes. Supported by his teammates, England reached an impressive 384-4 in a mere 72 overs.
With rain expected on days four and five, England had no choice but to seize the initiative, though few could have foreseen the extent of their resurgence from a daunting 299-run deficit on day one. The tone for the day was set by James Anderson, who dismissed Pat Cummins (1) with the very first ball, and Chris Woakes played a pivotal role in securing the final wicket of Josh Hazlewood (4), finishing with figures of 5-62.
After an early wobble when Ben Duckett fell for just one, Moeen Ali defied the skeptics, contributing an excellent 54 from 82 balls at number three.
But it was Crawley who stole the spotlight, achieving his century in a blistering 93 balls, making it the second-fastest Test century at the venue. His second fifty took just 26 balls. Alongside him, Joe Root displayed the same attacking intent, and together, they forged a jaw-dropping partnership of 206 runs for the third wicket, propelling England into a commanding lead.
Australia managed to halt their progress momentarily when Cameron Green and Hazlewood dismissed the two well-set batsmen, with Root departing for 84 due to a ball that kept low. However, Harry Brook (14*) and Ben Stokes (24*) showed resilience, guiding England through the remaining 10.5 overs.
As the day neared its end, England seemed to ease off slightly, leaving the question of whether this decision was right or not unanswered for now. Nevertheless, having retained wickets in hand, England now possesses the freedom to launch an aggressive assault during the first hour of day three, presumably leading to a declaration before lunch.