England’s top three helped themselves to a hat-trick of centuries as they dominated the first day of the Test summer, racking up 498 for three against an outmatched Zimbabwe.
The first meeting between the nations in 22 years looked like a mismatch on paper, the tourists having lost heavily to an inexperienced county XI last week, and the hosts lived up to lofty expectations at Trent Bridge.
Ben Duckett hit a typically feisty 140, Zak Crawley put a lean winter behind him with 124, and vice-captain Ollie Pope trumped them both as he sprinted to an unbeaten 169 in the evening session. In doing so, they set a new record for runs on the first day of a Test in England, eclipsing the 475 scored by Donald Bradman’s Australia in 1934.
While Duckett’s spot at the top of the order is secure, both Crawley and Pope have faced questions over their positions, with Jacob Bethell tipped to return for next month’s series against India once he returns from his time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Captain Ben Stokes gave the 21-year-old a ringing endorsement on the eve of the match, but it is understood a definitive pecking order has yet to be decided.
Whether hundreds against a limited Zimbabwe attack, which operated without the injured Richard Ngavara for more than half of the day, will be enough to hold off Bethell remains to be seen, but England’s top order did everything that could be asked of it.
They maintained an unforgiving run rate of 5.65 an over and combined for a bruising total of 62 boundaries and four sixes.
Duckett’s ton was the quickest of the three, ticking by in exactly 100 deliveries on his home ground, while Crawley produced a calmer innings than he is known for, taking 45 balls longer in an assured stay.
It was a fifth Test century for both men, an opening stand of 231 keeping Pope waiting around three hours for his opportunity. When his time came, he made the most of it, getting off to a flying start en route to his eighth England century before punishing a weary bowling unit late on.
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Former England seamer Stuart Broad handed debutant Sam Cook his cap in the pre-match huddle, but Craig Ervine’s call at the toss meant that was as much action as the newcomer saw.
Instead, it was over to Duckett and Crawley, who posted 130 before lunch at exactly five an over. There was only one half-chance of note, Crawley on 10 when he chipped a drive back to Blessing Muzarabani, who could not gather a tough return catch as he followed through.
Crawley began to lean into some pleasing drives but was happy to let Duckett take the lead, at one stage peeling off six boundaries in the space of 13 balls. He passed 50 with a thick edge over the slips but, for the most part, was well in control.
The left-hander continued to accumulate quickly after the break, taking in the acclaim of his home crowd as he eased to his fifth Test hundred and second on English soil.
Unafraid to take a risk, he survived three loose shots that might have gone to hand before finally finding a fielder, guiding Wessly Madhevere’s off-spin to cover after depositing his first two balls for four and six.
Pope survived an lbw shout off his first delivery, staying back to one that would have slid past leg, but was quick to assert himself. Six of his first 18 balls ended up at the ropes as he peppered the off side.
Crawley, whose torrid tour of New Zealand before Christmas saw him average just 8.66, did not hurry to three figures – content to take tea on 93 before finishing the job.
He was in pain in the closing stages of his innings, needing treatment on a leg injury, and eventually fell lbw sweeping the disciplined Sikandar Raza. By then, attention had moved to Pope, who had dashed along to 85, and he became the latest to raise his bat after cutting Raza for four.
Joe Root ended the streak when he holed out for 34, but did soak up the applause for becoming just the fifth batter in Test history to pass 13,000 runs.
