Ollie Pope top-scored with 169 not out at better than a run-a-ball.© AFP
England’s top three of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope all made hundreds as they piled on the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe in a one-off four-day Test in Nottingham on Thursday. An utterly dominant England were 498 for three at stumps on the first day at Trent Bridge after number three Pope top-scored with 169 not out at better than a run-a-ball. That England almost made 500 runs in a day, allied to Pope’s fourth score of over 150 at this level, emphasised the gulf between the sides in what is Zimbabwe’s first Test in England in 22 years.
Left-hander Duckett led the initial run-spree with 140 on his Nottinghamshire home ground and opening partner Crawley made 124.
Not since the same trio all reached three figures against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in December 2022 had England’s top three all made hundreds on the opening day of a Test.
Crawley’s century came after he had managed just 212 runs in his previous eight Tests at an average of 15.14.
“With Ben playing as well as he did, I didn’t feel pressure, and Popey the same,” Crawley told Sky Sports after stumps.
Kent batsman’s Crawley first-innings scores in the County Championship so far this season are 1, 0, 1 and 6.
“You know that you’re under pressure and you want to score runs,” said Crawley following just his fifth century in 54 Tests.
“It’s nice to find some rhythm. The wickets haven’t been that easy for Kent and I’ve felt in good touch for some months now.”
But all three hundreds Thursday were made against a callow Zimbabwe attack which bore little relation to the sterner challenges awaiting England in an upcoming five-Test series at home to India before they head to Australia for the Ashes later this year.
Ngarava injury
Zimbabwe were further handicapped when Richard Ngarava, arguably the pick of their four pacemen with none for 42 in nine overs, left the field shortly after lunch having pulled up clutching his back and hamstrings when chasing a ball.
Ngarava
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