NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — The top three batters hit centuries as England posted a mammoth score of 498-3 on the first day of a one-off test against Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley got their fifth test centuries while No. 3 batter Ollie Pope claimed his eighth ton and ended the day unbeaten on 169. Harry Brook was with him on nine.
The sides met for the first time at test level in 22 years and it was a one-sided start to England’s summer of cricket.
Duckett scored 140 and Crawley struck 124.
Not to be left out, Joe Root became the fifth batter and first from England to reach 13,000 test runs, joining Sachin Tendulkar (India), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa) and Rahul Dravid (India).
But he was out for 34 when, in a rare misjudgment, he top-edged a pull to fine leg to give tall seamer Blessing Muzarabani a wicket. Last month, Muzarabani claimed 6-72 as Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh to earn its first test victory since 2021.
England overcast conditions
Zimbabwe won the toss and bowled first in overcast conditions, but the home side reached 130-0 at lunch.
Duckett and Crawley's opening stand of 231 came off just 41.3 overs and ended when Duckett holed out to cover off Wes Madhevere. Duckett's knock came off just 134 balls and featured 20 fours and two sixes.
Crawley emerged from a poor stretch, including a dismal average of 8.66 on the tour of New Zealand, to pass 3,000 test runs.
Pope blazed six fours off the first 18 balls he faced and reached 50 just after the tea break from 48 deliveries.
Pope was in fine touch and on 61 by the time Crawley reached a patient-looking century off 145 balls.
Crawley was out when he swept off spinner Sikandar Raza and fell leg before wicket.
Stokes is back
Fit-again captain Ben Stokes returned for England after lengthy rehabilitation from a hamstring tear.
England seamer Sam Cook, following several successful seasons in county cricket with Essex and more than 300 wickets, made his test debut at 27 in an inexperienced attack, with Josh Tongue returning after two years for his third test.
Zimbabwe brought in batting allrounder Raza, after he was on duty for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.
England plays India in a five-test series this summer before trying to win back the Ashes in Australia.
Crawley and Pope's scores were timely with Jacob Bethell touted to return at No. 3 against India. He is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
The Associated Press
