Mention John Crawley's batting, and people will tell you that he is stately off his legs - and entirely humble outside off stump. But he scored almost equally on both sides of the wicket during his century against India. Our graph shows where Crawley scored his runs, with 49% on the off side and 51% on the leg side. He was at his most fluent through the covers, with 27 runs (though he scored nothing any straighter on the off side), while those trademark clips and flicks off the pads brought him 41 runs in the arc between midwicket and square leg.

The quality of Crawley's off-side strokeplay has never been so much of a problem as his judgment of where his off stump is, a failing which the likes of Glenn McGrath have exploited ruthlessly.

Crawley's return to the side this summer has been extremely impressive, with 236 runs at an average of 118. And in his last three home Tests, he averages 135. His third Ashes tour, and another date with Mr McGrath, is surely assured now.

Rob Smyth is on the staff of Wisden.com.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd