England opening batsman Zak Crawley is looking forward to challenging Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada again, come next week’s third Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth.

Crawley scored four and 25 in the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town, where England won by 189 runs. Both innings required the inexperienced right-hander to face Rabada’s intense pace.

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‘I thought I played him okay. And I loved it. It’s always great shaping up against one of the best bowlers in the world and seeing how you go. I’m looking forward to playing him again at Port Elizabeth hopefully and taking him down,’ said Crawley.

Crawley has entered the XI on the back of the injured Rory Burns’ absence. Burns has been sidelined by an ankle injury sustained after the series opener at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

‘I’m taking one game at a time. But I’m not looking too far ahead. I knew the night before the game that Rory would be out for a number of weeks,’ he added.

His contribution at Newlands included an important slip catch off the bowling of seamer Ben Stokes. The catch removed tail-ender Anrich Nortje – and took England within one wicket of eventual victory late on the fifth day.

‘Stokes was bowling so fast. And we were so close to the wicket. It was just a matter of sticking my hand out and luckily I managed to make it go up in the air and get my other hand to it. It was a great moment when I saw it come down. It seemed to hover in the air. It lasted a lifetime,’ concluded Crawley.

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