JOHN CRAWLEY virtually booked his place on England's winter tour after ending the first day of the decisive third Test against Pakistan six runs short of his maiden Test century at The Oval yesterday.
But the unflappable 24 year old Lancashire right hander knows that his job is still only half done with England at 278 for six and Pakistan desperate to wrap up their fifth consecutive series win over England.
Crawley must now convert his watchful and authoritative 94 not out into a big century if Pakistan are to be daunted by an England total in a match Pakistan need only draw to make sure of a 1-0 series win.
Crawley said he would not lose any sleep despite going to bed so close to the milestone 100. "Things like that don't worry me, I don't know why. I just don't tend to get worried. I'll sleep well because I'm tired," he said.
England coach David Lloyd was full of praise for the player he coached at Lancashire, saying: "He's a confident, confident lad, tough ruthless and uncompromising. He's not a nervy, sleepless lad."
Crawley's mature display has consolidated his place in England's batting line up ahead of out of favour Graeme Hick and also guaranteed his place on the tour to Zimbabwe and New Zealand.
Crawley responded to the pressure not just of his own personal situation, but also the demands of a pulsating opening day.
In 11 previous Tests, since his debut against South Africa in 1994, Crawley had scored only 383 runs at 23.93.
His form this season, too, had been patchy, but the selectors decided he was the man to replace the inconsistent Hick after Pakistan had won the first Test at Lord's a month ago.
A solid 53 at Headingley earned Crawley another chance at The Oval where he was England's most impressive player, countering the pace of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis with reassuring skill, and reading leg breaker Mushtaq Ahmed's bag of tricks.
He and Graham Thorpe were threatening to bat Pakistan out of the game in the latter stages of an often exhilarating 89 run stand for the fourth wicket. But Thorpe (54) was then adjudged lbw to a delivery from Moharnmad Akram which clearly pitched outside his leg stump.
Nick Knight swung Mushtaq over mid wicket for six to raise English hopes again and Crawley moved smoothly past his Test best 72, one of four previous half centuries.
When Knight fell for 17, playing on to Mushtaq as he tried to pad away, Crawley dug deep into his enviable reserves of concentration.
Captain Mike Athertoo took the decision to bat after winning the toss with the view to making the tourists bat last against the spin tandem of leg breaker Ian Salisbury and debutant Robert Croft.
Alec Stewart, in prime form after his Headingley 170, charged out of the blocks to give England the luxury of a flying start.
Stewart's 44 dominated an opening partnership with Atherton of 64 at nearly a run a minute before he played an ugly across the line whip to leg against Mushtaq Ahmed's second ball and bowled off stump.
Surrey's captain, glorying in home conditions, hit nine fours and had single handedly destroyed Waqar's new ball spell, in one over collecting three boundaries with a sweet clip off his pads and two dismissive pulls.
Nasser Hussain, regarded as England's best player of spin, started sketchily by inside edging a drive at Mushtaq through midwicket for two and then bottom edging past slip for four.
His unconvincing innings ended with a hesitant push at a widish Waqar delivery, producing a comfortable catch to Saeed Anwar at second slip.
Atherton, despite needing treatment for a painful blow on the right shoulder against Wasim, had dug in securely and in Thorpe he found another partner seemingly on top of his game.
The Surrey left hander, pulling and driving the faster bowlers and impishly sweeping Mushtaq, revived the England innings and not even the loss of Atherton soon after lunch could dampen his spirit.
