Centuries From Top-3 Batters Help England Close Day 1's Play At 498/3 Vs Zimbabwe

Advertisement

Last Updated:May 23, 2025, 00:26 IST

At stumps connected the archetypal time astatine Trent Bridge, an utterly ascendant England were 498 for 3 aft fig 3 Pope top-scored with 169 not retired astatine amended than a run-a-ball.

Ollie Pope celebrates aft completing his century. (Picture Credit: AFP)

England’s apical 3 of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope each made hundreds arsenic they piled connected the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe successful a one-off four-day Test successful Nottingham connected Thursday.

At stumps connected the archetypal time astatine Trent Bridge, an utterly ascendant England were 498 for 3 aft fig 3 Pope top-scored with 169 not retired astatine amended than a run-a-ball.

Pope’s 4th people of implicit 150 astatine this level further emphasised the gulf betwixt the sides successful what is Zimbabwe’s archetypal Test successful England successful 22 years.

Left-hander Duckett led the archetypal run-spree with 140 connected his Nottinghamshire location crushed and opening spouse Crawley made 124.

Not since the aforesaid trio each reached 3 figures against Pakistan astatine Rawalpindi successful December 2022 had England’s apical 3 each made hundreds connected the archetypal time of a Test.

Crawley’s period came aft helium had managed conscionable 212 runs successful his erstwhile 8 Tests astatine an mean of 15.14, with Thursday’s innings conscionable his 5th 100 successful 54 matches astatine this level.

But each 3 hundreds were made against a callow Zimbabwe onslaught which bore small narration to the sterner challenges awaiting England successful an upcoming five-Test bid astatine location to India earlier they caput to Australia for the Ashes aboriginal this year.

Ngarava injury

Zimbabwe were further handicapped erstwhile Richard Ngarava, arguably the prime of their 4 pacemen with nary for 42 successful 9 overs, near the tract soon aft luncheon having pulled up clutching his backmost and hamstrings erstwhile chasing a ball.

Ngarava returned precocious successful the last league but did not vessel again earlier leaving the tract erstwhile more.

Earlier, Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine opted to vessel aft winning the flip successful the anticipation his onslaught could utilise the unreality screen supra Trent Bridge, a crushed renowned for aiding pacemen.

His determination to tract was each the much understandable fixed Zimbabwe’s 138-run thrashing by a youthful County Select XI successful their lone warm-up lucifer past week.

But portion Zimbabwe’s 4 quicks got the occasional shot to deviate sharply, they besides repeatedly over-pitched and bowled excessively short.

At lunch, England were 130 without nonaccomplishment disconnected 26 overs, with Duckett 75 not retired and Crawley unbeaten connected 53.

It was not agelong earlier the assertive Duckett completed a 100 disconnected precisely 100 balls, including 15 fours.

Having got to 3 figures, Duckett deed the archetypal six of the lucifer erstwhile helium pulled Tanaka Chivanga, whose 12 wicketless overs outgo an costly 83 runs.

Duckett, however, exited successful acquainted fashion.

Having thrashed spinner Wessly Madhevere’s archetypal shot done the covers for 4 and pulled the 2nd for six, Duckett tamely chipped the 3rd to screen wherever Ben Curran — the member of England internationals Sam and Tom and the lad of the precocious Zimbabwe all-rounder Kevin — held the drawback that ended a blistering innings.

England were past 231-1 pursuing their archetypal three-figure opening concern since Duckett and Crawley enactment connected 109 against Ireland astatine Lord’s successful 2023.

Come tea, Crawley was 93 not retired and Pope unbeaten connected 49.

Crawley, aft a trademark cover-driven 4 got him to 98, went to a 145-ball century, including 12 boundaries, with a sedate single.

But having suffered what appeared to beryllium an onslaught of cramp, Crawley was lbw trying to expanse spinner Sikandar Raza to the delight of a tiny but voluble set of Zimbabwe supporters.

Pope completed a period erstwhile helium forced Raza for his 14th 4 arsenic helium extended his ain grounds by becoming the archetypal batsman to people his archetypal 8 Test hundreds against antithetic opponents.

Such was England’s dominance it made small quality erstwhile prima batsman Joe Root holed retired disconnected persevering paceman Blessing Muzarabani for 34.

England skipper Ben Stokes is making a comeback to cricket this week aft the all-rounder’s lengthy rehabilitation from his latest hamstring tear.

Location :

Nottingham

First Published:

News cricket Centuries From Top-3 Batters Help England Close Day 1's Play At 498/3 Vs Zimbabwe