Zimbabwe’s Tough Return to England: England Dominate Day One with Record-Breaking Batting

After 22 years, Zimbabwe returned to play a Test match in England, but the comeback turned into a harsh experience for them. On the first day of the series opener at Trent Bridge, England ended with a record-breaking performance, amassing 498 runs in 88 overs, powered by three centuries.

Ben Duckett impressed the home crowd with a brilliant century on his home ground. He scored 145 runs off just 145 balls, marking his fifth Test hundred. Zak Crawley also returned to form, scoring his first century since July 2023, ending a drought of 28 innings. Together, Duckett and Crawley built a 233-run partnership—the highest opening stand for England at home since 1960.

Following that, Ollie Pope took charge with the bat. He struck his third consecutive century at Trent Bridge in Tests. From the beginning, Pope batted aggressively, hitting six boundaries in his first 18 balls. By the end of the day, England had posted a remarkable total—the highest ever on the first day of a Test match in England.

Zimbabwe's captain, Craig Ervine, won the toss and opted to bowl first. However, his bowlers struggled right from the start. They failed to maintain consistency, and opening bowler Richard Ngarava left the field with a back injury early in the second session, bowling just nine overs all day.

Blessing Muzarabani was Zimbabwe’s most effective bowler, delivering 20 overs. However, neither Sikandar Raza nor the rest of the attack could contain England's aggressive batting.

Duckett reached his century in 108 balls, hitting a total of 23 boundaries (sixes and fours combined). He was eventually dismissed for 130, caught at cover off Madhevere. Then came Pope, who formed another strong partnership with Crawley. Crawley was dismissed LBW for 124.

By the end of day one, it was a story of disappointment for Zimbabwe and celebration for England. Zimbabwe’s return to English soil after 22 years served as a stark reminder of the gulf between the two teams in Test cricket.