
England rekindle Zimbabwe rivalry
The restoration of cricketing ties between England and Zimbabwe will become complete on Thursday when Trent Bridge plays host to a standalone four-day test between the two nations.
For Ben Stokes' men the unique fixture provides a tune-up before India visit in June for a marquee five-test series, while for Craig Ervine's tourists it could be the only chance in their careers to play an international on English soil.
The last red-ball encounter between the two sides came in 2003, James Anderson's debut series, and they have not met in any format since 2007.
"(England) is the only team I haven't played against, so (this) would basically be my debut men's international game against them," 38-year-old Sean Williams, Zimbabwe's premier test batsman with five hundreds and an average of 44, told Reuters after supplanting Anderson as world cricket's longest-tenured player.
"When we talk about a 20-year career, that is an incredible thing to think about."
Both cricket and diplomatic relations soured by the mid-2000s, when Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe embarked on an economy-crippling land redistribution programme which displaced thousands of white farmers and left the African country isolated from the West.
Number-two ranked England will look to 'Bazball' exponents Harry Brook, Joe Root and Stokes to bat their opponents into submission and ease the burden on an inexperienced seam department in the abbreviated fixture.
Gus Atkinson, on 11 caps, will lead an injury-hit attack missing veterans Mark Wood and Chris Woakes as Essex mainstay Sam Cook, with 321 first-class wickets at 20 apiece, prepares for a debut.
"He's kept knocking the door down, fair play to him," said England selector Luke Wright.
For the 10th-ranked visitors to defy all odds and catch England off-guard in Nottingham, leadership will be sought from those with local knowledge.
Impressive strike bowler Blessing Muzarabani, averaging 22 for 51 test wickets, spent two seasons with Northamptonshire and offers a point of difference with his two-metre frame, while top-order batsmen Ben Curran and Nick Welch, along with power-hitter Sikandar Raza, also have county experience.
Zimbabwe have languished in cricket's doldrums since the turn of the century, but used to punch above their weight in regular spars with the former colonial power.
Their rivalry peaked during a 1996-97 tour when then-England coach David Lloyd infamously declared "we flippin' murdered 'em" upon drawing a test series, prematurely claiming moral victory before being clean-swept on the 50-over leg and conceding a hat-trick to chicken-farmer-turned-paceman Eddo Brandes.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
England chase down big total to seal T20 series against Windies
BRISTOL: Jos Buttler top-scored for England again as they chased down an imposing target and beat West Indies by four wickets in the second T20 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead and seal the three-match series, continuing their excellent form under new captain Harry Brook. Former captain Buttler's 47 from 36 balls at Bristol's County Ground came on the back of his 96 in the first T20 in Durham and set the platform for England to hunt down West Indies' total of 196-6 with nine balls to spare. It was a second straight series victory for England under the captaincy of Brook after they secured a 3-0 series sweep in the one-dayers. Jacob Bethell hit a thrilling 26 from 10 balls, which included three sixes, as England spread the runs throughout the team with Ben Duckett (30), Brook (34) and Tom Banton (30) providing solid backup. 'We had a lot of fun out there,' said Brook. 'They had a very good finish. We stuck to our plans through the middle really well. They didn't get away. 'We had a discussion before going out to bat that it was only a matter of a couple of big overs. We chased the score beautifully. It was a very good performance.' England, who won the toss and chose to bowl, got off to the perfect start with Luke Wood, who was the hosts' standout bowler with 2-25 in his first appearance since September 2023, striking Evin Lewis on the pads with the day's first delivery, but the tourists quickly steadied the ship. Shai Hope took the fight to England with 49 off 38 balls, while Johnson Charles started patiently before he also fell just short of his half century, with 47 from 39 deliveries. The West Indies innings threatened to stall at that point but a rollicking finish peppered with sixes from Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder saw them power to a healthy total, even considering the County Ground's short boundaries. Australia's Hazlewood does not want to miss WTC final again 'I thought we were a few runs short, with the dimensions and the pitch being a decent one,' said West Indies captain Shai Hope. 'I don't think we capitalised on the middle overs with the spin, but whatever we have on the board we have to defend it… We have to try and bounce back, win the game and finish the tour strong, setting the tone as a team.' Batting depth England lost Jamie Smith for four in the second over as he tried to hit one down the ground but was caught by Holder. That brought Buttler to the crease and he wasted little time in taking the attack to the tourists, with England ending the powerplay on 58-1. The hosts' progress was interrupted as they were reduced to 72-2 when Duckett fell after a brisk 30 from 18 balls trying to smash Shepherd for six only to draw a superb diving catch from Powell who plucked the ball out of the air on the run. Buttler was handed a reprieve in the 10th over when Charles fumbled and dropped what should have been an easy take in the deep but the England batsman did not last much longer. He was out for trying to sweep Akeal Hosein and his dismissal offered redemption for Charles, who this time held on to the catch. Brook was then caught at long-off as Powell pulled off another good catch off the bowling of Roston Chase, before England stepped up a gear. Four sixes in six balls turned momentum in their favour with Banton hitting Gudakesh Motie over the rope before Bethell dished out a double punishment to Alzarri Joseph. Yet after another ball sailed for six in the same over, Joseph got his revenge, taking the wicket of Bethell, who was out when he was caught behind by Chase attempting a reverse lob. That left England on 169 for five after 16 overs and by the time Will Jacks (7) was caught by Chase off Joseph England needed just nine runs from 16 balls. They moved comfortably within striking distance before Brydon Carse hit the winning runs, swinging at a delivery from Holder that looped back over the wicketkeeper for four. With the final match of the series to come in Southampton on Tuesday, England can wrap a second straight clean sweep. 'It's nice to win any series, especially off the back of the ODIs keeping the momentum going,' said player-of-the-match Wood. 'Hopefully we can make it 3-0 in a few days' time.'


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Neymar tests positive for COVID-19, Santos say
Brazil forward Neymar has been sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, his club Santos said in a statement as quoted by Brazilian media. The 33-year-old began showing symptoms on Thursday and was immediately removed from team activities. Medical tests later confirmed the viral infection, the Brazil Serie A side said on Saturday. The club did not disclose how long Neymar will be out of action and did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Neymar is already ruled out of Thursday's league match at Fortaleza through suspension. The Fortaleza match will be Santos' last outing before the Brazilian league pauses for the June 14-July 13 Club World Cup in the United States. The former Barcelona forward's future at Santos remains undecided, with his contract set to expire on June 30. Limited by injury, he has made 12 appearances for Santos across all competitions this season, contributing three goals and three assists.


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Australia's Hazlewood does not want to miss WTC final again
LONDON: A calf injury forced Josh Hazlewood to miss being part of Australia's World Test Championship win two years ago and the fast bowler is keen to avoid a second such heartbreak as they defend their WTC title next week. Hazlewood is vying with Scott Boland to claim the last slot in Australia's pace attack for the final against South Africa at Lord's from Wednesday. South Africa name Rabada in World Test Championship final squad The 34-year-old arrived late in England, after bowling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Tuesday. 'I was quite close last time,' Hazlewood, who recently recovered from a should injury, said of the 2023 final he missed. 'But I feel in much better place this time around, and I think in any format, my numbers over the last two years have been pretty good, so I've got a lot to fall back on. 'Skill wise, I still feel like I'm bowling the best I have in my career and it's just a matter of the body holding up, which it has been in the last few months.' Pakistan to receive $0.48mn despite finishing last in ICC World Test Championship cycle Hazlewood was Bengaluru's most successful bowler in the IPL but he will need to shift from 20-overs cricket in India to a different format and the different English conditions. Adjusting the length would be particularly crucial, he said. 'In the IPL games, I was probably hitting around that seven-to nine-meters in the powerplay, and not really threatening the stumps as much as you want to in Test cricket, in particular here in England,' he said. 'So, it'll just be about pushing that length and touch fuller and still getting that zip through the keeper.'