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29-05-2025
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Jacob Bethell makes good on school coach's vision to kick-start Harry Brook era
Jacob Bethell first set foot inside Edgbaston as a 12-year-old and was told by his school coach to imagine one day playing at the ground for England. The vision came true against West Indies, with Bethell marking his first international at his home ground with a dazzling 82 from 53 balls that instantly put pressure back on Ollie Pope for the No 3 spot in the Test side. Bethell only arrived back in the country earlier this week at the end of his stint in the Indian Premier League, but looked as if he had been playing in English conditions all summer as he put the finishing touches on a perfect day for Harry Brook, who marked his first game as official captain with a win, a fifty and an ODI record equalling five catches for an outfielder. Bethell top scored in a total of 400 for eight, the highest in ODI history without an individual century, as a team effort propelled England to a whopping 238-run victory with 23 overs to spare. West Indies were wretched, bowled out for just 162, and only a 10th-wicket stand of 38, the highest of the innings, saved them from their lowest ODI total against England. How cheeky is THAT from Jacob Bethell?! 🤩 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 To cap his day, Bethell's old coach at Rugby School, the former Warwickshire captain Mike Powell, was in the crowd at Edgbaston to watch his former pupil deliver a masterclass in one-day finishing and live out the potential he saw a decade ago when Bethell arrived in England from Barbados. Powell says that even at that young age Bethell was a natural hooker and puller of the ball, thanks to his early years on pitches in Barbados, where he was bounced by older boys in club cricket. Powell thought him a natural Test player with batting in his blood, but he has also evolved into a modern, multi-format cricketer with a giant future ahead of him. He fell short of his first century in professional cricket, but with two more ODIs in this series and three T20s to follow, he has time to build a strong case to play in the first Test against India. This is a different format and West Indies are not a strong side, but Bethell just has that air of a generational player who appears totally at home in international cricket. Bethell made just two IPL appearances, warming the bench instead of playing for England against Zimbabwe last week. He was allowed to stay in India because England had promised their players they would be able to see out IPL contracts and the Zimbabwe match was a late addition to the schedule and not part of the World Test Championship. That Jacob Bethell power 💪 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 But by being so generous, England created their own headache as Pope seized his chance to return to No 3 by scoring 171 at Trent Bridge. Ben Stokes then got in a lather backtracking on pre-Test match comments that suggested Bethell would be restored to No 3 as soon he was available again. Pope left Trent Bridge seemingly undroppable and with Stokes's backing, but if Bethell keeps up this form the debate is far from over, and just delaying the inevitable. After fifties from Ben Duckett, Brook and Joe Root, as well as solid contributions from Jamie Smith and Jos Buttler, Bethell capped off the England innings. He started carefully with 19 from his first 26 balls, but slammed 63 off his next 27 deliveries, carving five sixes from two pulls, a lofted drive, slog sweep and ramp. All of England's picks in their new-look batting order paid off. Smith looked classy as an opener and clicked immediately with Duckett, the pair adding 64 in seven overs. Root and Brook's half centuries helped England to motor through the middle overs at 6.43 runs an over. There was a danger with batsmen failing to convert fifties that England could fall short when Buttler was dismissed for 37 at the start of the 41st over. But Will Jacks, batting at No 7 for the first time, and Bethell clobbered 98 off 44 balls for the sixth wicket as England plundered 117 off the last 10 overs. West Indies were blown away. Alzarri Joseph was their best bowler, with his pace unsettling England, but others were too easily hit off their lines and length. Jayden Seales's four for 84 from nine overs showed the price paid for taking wickets. He and fellow seamer Matthew Forde conceded 172 from 18 overs. It was a day of extraordinary catching from both sides, the close to sell-out half-term crowd getting good value for money. Roston Chase held on to two blinders before Brydon Carse and Brook matched him in the West Indies innings. WHAT A GRAB, BRYDON CARSE! 🚨 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Carse hit 85mph and his pace and bounce nicked off opener Brandon King for his only wicket. Saqib Mahmood bowled a consistent line and length, mixed in with the odd sharp bouncer, for figures of three for 32, before Jamie Overton cleaned up the tail. 'It was a good bowling performance, I do not think it was anything magical or special. 'The batsmen won this game with 400 runs on the board, then the plans became quite simple. 'From a West Indies point of view, anytime your number 11 is top scorer, you know you have had a bad day.' 'A pretty seamless day and a dominant performance. [Harry] Brook will have way tougher days than today, but to build a template moving forward, this is as good as you get. 'Before a ball was bowled today, Brook wanted more runs, more dominance from his batters, he got 400 runs, and then each and every bowler looked to take wickets. 'That allowed him to impart some of the expressive side of his captaincy with aggressive fields. He will sit back, for a short period of time, very content.' 'That was a pretty phenomenal performance from the boys. Nice to get the series under way in good fashion. 'Four of us got 50+ scores. If one of us kicks on, that is a complete performance. We have got so much power. Smudge [Jamie Smith] started really well in the powerplay, put them under an immense amount of pressure. That allowed people down the order to try and hit it out of the park. The tempo of our innings was spot on. 'Saqib [Mahmood] bowled beautifully in the powerplay and got the rewards he deserved. [Brydon] Carse and Jamie [Overton] were bowling gas.' 'We did not make the early inroads we were after. If you do not you will always find yourself playing catch up. That is what happened. 'We pulled the game back quite nicely. They were striking at eight-point-something at one stage. We let it slip at the end. We have some work and assessing to do. 'We still have some inexperience in our bowling line-up so it is only a matter of time until we hit the ground running. 400 is a tough task but we did not start well in powerplay with the bat. When you are chasing 400 you need a good start.' 'It is pretty special to play here for the first time for England, and to top it off with a win was special. I enjoy batting in the middle order. Today was a pretty easy situation to come into when I came into bat. 'It was about not losing a cluster of wickets. I think when I back myself when I am in I can get a lot of balls to the boundary so I am not too fussed about dot balls. I try to hit strong shots and get off to a strong start. 'I learnt a lot from the IPL, I feel like a better player because of that experience than I was two months ago. I learnt a lot from the IPL, I feel like a better player because of that experience than I was two months ago. Virat [Kohli] was great with information and how he goes about batting. All I had to do was ask him.' A superb googly from Rashid wraps it up as he bowls Joseph. West Indies are bowled out for 162 and England have won this first ODI by 238 runs. A nice way for Rashid to cap off his 150th ODI. England looked like the England of old under Eoin Morgan and there are some similarities to a match on this ground in 2015 against New Zealand. Harry Brook's record as permanent captain:Games played: 1️⃣Games won: 1️⃣The perfect start ❤️ — England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 29, 2025 Carse is coming back into the attack. There is no mid-on in place and Seales pulls one through that region for four. The number 11 is having some fun. Carse finishes the over by striking Seales on the pads but it pitched outside leg. Seales belted Rashid for one six over wide long on and he repeats that feat in this over. Rashid loops one up again and Seales makes great connection once more, earning himself another six. Seales picks up another boundary as he sweeps behind square for four. He is now up to 23 from eight balls. Off the final ball Rashid strikes Joseph on the pads and England go up but it is a shake of the head from umpire Martin Saggers. Joseph chips one through mid-on for a couple. He then pulls one away behind square on the legside for four. Joseph tries to whack Rashid out of the ground but gets an inside edge. Seales is off the mark with a single into the legside. A few balls later Seales belts Rashid over wide long on for six. A quality shot from a number 11. Jayden Seales is the last man in. Motie c Brook b Overton 18 The end is nigh. Overton completely deceives Motie with a slower ball and he skies it. Brook takes another catch in this innings and England are one wicket away from the most dominant of victories. Five catches for Brook in this innings. FOW 124/9 Motie drills a full Rashid delivery past a diving mid-off for four. Rashid then drops short and Motie belts it over long off for six. Motie sweeps off his pads and it goes very fine, running away for the third boundary of the over. Alzarri Joseph is the new man and he gets under way with a single through point off his second ball. Motie gets his first runs as he drives through wide mid-off for four. Forde c Mahmood b Overton 1 Another batsman to fall for the short-ball plan. Forde tried to whack every ball he faced and he gets a top edge on a pull. Mahmood takes the simple catch at third man and England take eighth wicket. FOW 102/8 Gudakesh Motie joins Forde in the middle. Jangoo c Brook b Rashid 14 Another catch from Brook and it is another good one. It was not the best ball Rashid has ever bowled but it is a fantastic grab by Brook at mid-wicket as Jangoo hit that ball hard. FOW 102/7 Matthew Forde joins Jangoo in the middle. He advances at Overton and gets off the mark with an inside edge for a single through the legside. A single from Jangoo into the offside brings up the West Indies 100. I think it is safe to say they are going to go down swinging. Chase c Jacks b Overton 9 Another wicket falls as Chase falls into the trap. Overton bangs it in short and Chase takes it on, giving Jacks a fairly simple catch at deep square leg. FOW 97/6 For the first time today Adil Rashid is on. Not his finest over as he finds his radar and West Indies get six singles. Only Shane Warne and Saqlain Mushtaq have taken more wickets in their first 150 ODI's. Just shows how good Rashid has been. Overton is into the attack having bowled just two balls earlier before damaging a finger. Jangoo hits a driver through cover that brings him three after good work from Jacks. England appeal for a catch down the legside but umpire Kumar Dharmasena is not having it. England have just one review remaining and Harry Brook has no hesitation in using it. It is a pretty terrible review as there was no bat and in fact it hit Chase's hip. England have no reviews left. Roston Chase is in at number seven and is off the mark first ball. Chase heaves away for four over deep mid-wicket. It has been an incredible day of catching, starting with two stunners by Roston Chase and then Brydon Carse's grab in the deep and Harry Brook's diving effort to give Bethell his wicket. It has not been much of a contest but a good sized half term crowd have had decent value for money today. Andrew c Brook b Bethell 8 Another terrific grab! Andrew plays a lofty drive and Brook dives to his left to make a stunning grab mid-air. England have taken some stunners in the field, as did West Indies earlier to be honest. FOW 79/5 Mahmood has bowled superbly today and he will continue. England have a leg slip in place to Jangoo and it nearly pays dividends but a chance falls just short of Duckett. Change of bowling as Bethell, who bowled four balls earlier, is back on. Andrew goes downtown and deposits Bethell over long on for six. Time for drinks. During the break, David 'Bumble' Lloyds has been on the mic to urge people to donate to the Bob Willis fund. Amir Jangoo joins Andrew at the crease. Mahmood appeals for a caught behind down the legside but umpire Kumar Dharmasena turns it down. England think about an appeal and Harry Brook decides to go for it. There is no bat so the original decision stands and England lose a review. Jangoo gets off the mark with a pull through square leg for two. A huge appeal for LBW from the last ball but it is turned down. England think about another review but decide against it. That was a good call as it was missing. A reminder West Indies still need 331 runs to win! Hope c Carse b Mahmood 25 Oh my word! What a catch! Mahmood bangs it in short and Hope pulls it away. Carse looked like he might have slightly misjudged it but sticks his arm up into the air and pulls off a stunning catch. It is a little similar to Ben Stokes' catch against South Africa at The Oval at the start of the 2019 World Cup. FOW 66/4 WHAT A GRAB, BRYDON CARSE! 🚨 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Carse offers up a bit of width and Hope takes advantage as he cuts the ball over the fielders inside the circle and away for four. Next ball he goes over the top off the back foot and gets it over Brook at mid-off. The timing was not great so he only gets a couple. 18-year-old Jewel Andrew is in on debut and this will be a test. He is off the mark with a single first ball down to third man. Mahmood finds the inside edge once more but Hope is fortunate that it flies past the stumps and away for four. That has happened at least three or four times to Mahmood so far. That is the end of the first powerplay and it is safe to say it has been England's. Carty c Brook b Mahmood 22 Mahmood is going to come back from the opposite end to the one he started and he is back in the wickets. It comes off the slice of the bat and it is another easy catch for Brook at mid-off. Mahmood has bowled brilliantly so far. FOW 53/3 Carse is going to come back on for Mahmood. Hope hits a full toss through mid-off that he thinks will bring him four but a great diving stop from Brook keeps it down to one. That single brings up the West Indies 50. Off the final ball Carty hits one high into the sky but it lands safely and he comes back for two. The first change of bowling in this innings as Jamie Overton replaces Carse. Carty hits the ball back at Overton but the England bowler cannot hold on to the caught-and-bowled chance. Overton then proceeds to run straight off as he knows he has done some damage to his finger, potentially dislocated. Jacob Bethell is going to finish the over. England have plenty of spinners in this side so we are going to see plenty of overs of spin in this innings. Carty finishes the over by swatting Bethell over wide mid-on for four. Carty hits down the ground and does not get all of it but the ball lands safely and he comes back for two. Carty finishes the over by pulling Mahmood away over mid-wicket for four. These are probably West Indies' two premier batsmen in this XI so if they are to have any chance (which looks very remote!) these two will have to score lots of runs. Hope gets off the mark with a couple through the covers. Hope then flashes at a wide delivery from Carse that takes a thick outside edge and beats Smith at third man. Carse strikes Hope on the pads and there is a half appeal, mainly from Root, but it was going down leg. Hope gets his second four of the over with a simple push up the ground through mid-off for four. Pure timing. Carty squeezes one away for two through cover point. Later in the over it is a much more convincing shot from Carty as his drive through the same area races away for four. West Indies captain Shai Hope joins Carty out in the middle. Terrific start from Mahmood and Carse. King c Buttler b Carse 10 What a delivery! Carse bowls a beautiful line and length, finding the outside edge of King's bat with some movement and Buttler takes the simple catch. It was just a feather but that was a sublime delivery. FOW 17/2 Keacy Carty, who averages nearly 50 in ODI cricket, comes to the crease. He nearly plays his second delivery onto his own stumps but it bounces away. A wicket maiden from Mahmood. Greaves c Brook b Mahmood 4 Soft, soft dismissal. He gives Brook catching practice at mid-off with the simplest of catches for the new England captain. FOW 8/1 Brydon Carse will open from the other end but he starts with a wide. That is the only run conceded in the over and he went past King's outside edge a couple of times in that over. King flashes at a wide delivery from Mahmood and it flashes past the inside edge. Mahmood then strikes King on the pads but umpire Martin Saggers turns down the appeal. There was half an appeal for a catch as the ball was caught nothing there. The first runs come from a thick inside edge that runs all the way to the backward square leg boundary. Rashid does just enough to flick it back in before hitting the rope so he saves a run as the West Indies' batsmen came back for three. Mahmood then finds the inside edge once more and Greaves is fortunate that it does not crash into the stumps but instead runs away fine for four. Mahmood bangs one in short and England think there is an edge and so does the umpire as the finger goes up. Greaves immediately reviews and it is a superb review as there was no contact with the bat but instead with the helmet. We are ready to get back under way for the West Indies run chase as the tourists need 401 to win this first ODI. Brandon King and Justin Greaves will open the batting for West Indies. Saqib Mahmood will open the bowling for England. 'It was important at the start for the West Indies, in conditions with the two new balls they might have felt they could have utilised, but they bowled too much width. '[Ben] Duckett set the tone brilliantly for England and the West Indies just did not get things right in the first 10 overs and the last 10 and they are the most crucial in this format.' There are growing fears that English women's cricket is becoming a soft target for corruption, with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of bets placed on matches. Corruption in men's cricket has been a longstanding issue for the sport, with numerous high-profile examples coming to light. A Telegraph Sport investigation can reveal a crackdown taking place in the women's game after uncovering: For more from Sonia Twigg, click here. A terrific team performance by England, Jacob Bethell underlining his class with a top score of 82 off 53 balls playing the finisher role to near perfection in his first innings on home soil this year. He had 20 off his first 26 balls but then found his range scoring all around the wicket, hitting 62 off his next 26 balls as West Indies struggled to find a way to keep him quiet. Fifties for Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Harry Brook enabled the lower order to make the most of the final overs. Jacks and Bethell plundered 117 off the final 10 overs and the total off 400-8 had echoes of the 408-9 England made here a decade ago at the start of the Eoin Morgan era. West Indies will begin their tour of England on Thursday: their first match in the country for all of… 10 months. The tourists will play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s before leaving almost as quickly as they arrived. The wider context of the games is not immediately clear, even if there is some jeopardy in the matches. England are eighth in the ODI rankings, and West Indies ninth. Should either side slip to 10th by the cut-off in March 2027, they will face the grim prospect of entering the qualification tournament for the final four spots in the 2027 World Cup. The opacity about how England could end up in the qualifiers speaks to a wider flaw in how ODIs are organised. The rankings mean little to players and are prone to manipulation. West Indies learnt as much in 2015 when Pakistan cancelled a tri-series, knowing that losing to West Indies would endanger their Champions Trophy spot. "The Bob Willis Fund saved my life" 💙 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 The last ball evades Carse but Hope cannot gather and it runs away for four byes to bring up the England 400 as they finish on 400/8 off their 50 overs. The West Indies have bowled two really good overs to finish this innings but England will be very happy with this total. The last eight overs went for 107 runs. Welcome to the Harry Brook era 👋England reach 400 in an ODI for the first time since their record-breaking 498-4 vs Netherlands in June 2022 🏴 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Bethell c Hope b Seales 82 An end to a fantastic innings. Seales throws it wide of the off stump and Bethell can only feather it behind to Hope. FOW 393/8 Brydon Carse joins Bethell in the middle and he gets off the mark second ball with a couple to the cover-point boundary. It is a tight over from Joseph, conceding just two runs and taking the wicket of Overton. One more over remaining. Overton c Chase b Joseph 1 Another outstanding catch! Chase has already taken one and now he takes another. Overton splices one high into the air and Chase runs back from mid-off to take a stunning catch over his head. The West Indies are going to be chasing a huge total but they have taken some great catches. FOW 391/7 West Indies have been punished for slow over rate so an extra man has to come into the circle. Jamie Overton is the new man in. Third man is up inside the circle and Bethell guides one delicately to the boundary for four. Jacks c Hope b Greaves 39 Jacks' fun is over. He tries to pull Greaves away but it loops off the top edge and Hope dives forward to take the catch. A good innings there from Jacks to keep the momentum going. FOW 385/6 Forde bowls one in the slot and Jack punishes him by whacking it over long on for six. West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul is signalling to the players. It actually looked more like a signal of surrender! Jacks follows that up with another boundary as he flicks the ball away on the full for four through square leg. Make that three straight boundaries as Jacks finds the gap between long on and deep mid-wicket. This is brutal batting! Four consecutive boundaries now as Jacks pummels one back over Forde's head for four. The run of boundaries is only ended by consecutive wides. Jacks finds the boundary once more as an attempted Forde yorker is flicked over square leg for four. He does not know where to bowl and he looks frazzled. 24 from the over in total! This is the first time in ODI history that all of a top seven have reached 30. A surprising and amazing stat, really. Jacks dabs behind point on the offside and quickly comes back for two. England have combined some big hitting with good running between the wickets to constantly keep the pressure on West Indies. Bethell once again finds the gap between mid-off and cover to find the boundary once more. The ball is flying to all parts. Seales then offers width and is too full to Bethell, who tucks into it and belts it well over mid-off's head for six. 400 anyone? A Seales wide takes England to 350. Bethell finishes the over with a reverse ramp over short third man for four. To make matters worse for Seales, it is a no ball so it will be re-bowled and will be a free hit. It is a dot ball but this is an exhibition from Bethell. How cheeky is THAT from Jacob Bethell?! 🤩 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 375 now looks perfectly achievable, with five wickets still in hand, and England might now be aiming for more. Fine leg is up inside the circle and Bethell takes advantage by flicking Joseph off his hips for four to bring up his third ODI fifty. Bethell finishes the over by emphatically swatting Joseph over deep mid-wicket for six. This is some fine batting from Bethell. That Jacob Bethell power 💪 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 The West Indies have been warned about taking too long between overs; a couple more of those and they will suffer a five-run penalty. England continue to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Bethell finds the gap between mid-off and cover, with the ball running away for four. Off the final ball Bethell powers a back-of-the-length delivery for six over long on's head. He is approaching fifty. Hope is changing up his bowlers and now brings Joseph back on. Bethell gets one on his hips and flicks it just over the head of Carty at deep backward square leg for six to bring up England's 300. Joseph finishes the over by straying down leg and Jacks flicks away past short fine leg for four. England still have plenty of firepower remaining and can continue to go hard inside these final 10 overs. England will be aiming for at least 350 but dreaming of 375. Will Jacks is in at number seven. Seales has been expensive but has taken the wickets of Root, Brook and Buttler. Not a bad collection of names to dismiss. Jacks gets off the mark fourth ball with a single to deep mid-wicket. Buttler c Forde b Seales 37 Buttler will be so annoyed at himself there. One ball after ramping Seales for four, Buttler smacks a short-pitched slower ball straight to Forde at deep mid-wicket. He could not have picked him out any better. FOW 287/5 Just the one run from Greaves' latest over. In the context of this innings that is an exceptional over. Motie is brought back on. A single from Bethell down to long on brings up the 50 partnership off 43 balls. A few balls later Bethell unveils the reverse sweep and he gets it over Jangoo at short third man. The ball looked like it might get all the way to the boundary but Jangoo just flicks it back in. Bethell then goes for the conventional sweep and belts Motie for six over deep mid-wicket. Big hit! Greaves is back into the attack and starts with a wide. Buttler advances at Greaves and deposits him over long off for six. Next ball he charges again and swats a short ball back past Greaves for four. This is the Buttler we know and love. Down the ground x2 😮💨 That's more like it from Jos Buttler 🤩 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 England's run rate is just under seven and they will be backing themselves to secure a big first-innings total with plenty of batting still to come. It is a tight start to the over from Joseph but he drops short and Bethell pulls away for four. In fact, it actually flicked off the helmet after coming off the bat. Actually looking at UltraEdge there was no contact with bat or glove but runs were given. Once the concussion checks are completed after Bethell was struck on the helmet, Joseph beats the outside edge of Bethell's bat. A single off Buttler's bat takes England to 250. England are currently projected to get 356 at the current rate. Bethell pulls aerially quite far in front of square but it lands safely, a fair bit away from any fielder, and he comes back for two. Five off the over. Time for spin to return as Chase is being brought on. A good return for the part-timer, conceding just two runs. Shai Hope is bringing Joseph back into the attack, hoping one of his principal strike bowlers can make another breakthrough. Joseph is around the wicket to Bethell but strays too straight and, on the angle, Bethell to simply flick it away fine for four. Joseph finishes the over off with an absolute beauty that finds the inside edge of Buttler's bat but evades Hope and runs away four. Streaky for Buttler. On his home ground Jacob Bethell comes to the crease. Good running between Buttler and Bethell brings the former two. The next ball they run well again and get another couple. Forde then strikes Buttler on the pads and appeals but it is turned down. Hope then fires at the stumps at the non-striker's end and no-one is backing up so the ball runs away for four over-throws. Had the West Indies reviewed it they would have lost their final review. Bethell is off the mark second ball with a single down to fine leg. Brook c Carty b Seales 58 What have you done Harry? He has batted so nicely but throws away his wicket. He is given width by Seales and cuts away but picks out the fielder on the point boundary. Carty did well to come in and take the catch. Another England batsman that got off to a great start but has been unable to convert it into a big score. FOW 221/4 Another great catch and Harry Brook can't believe his luck! 😲 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Forde oversteps and Brook will be on strike for the free hit. That no ball brings up the England 200. Brook steps to the legside and powers Forde through the offside for four. Brook then pulls Forde over fine leg for six. He went with it and never tried to keep it down, knowing he had enough power to get it over the fielder. A single then into the offside brings up Brook's sixth ODI fifty, his first as the permanent captain. It has come from 41 balls. Buttler gets off the mark second ball with a single into the offside. The former captain joins the current captain as Jos Buttler heads to the crease. Brook advances at Forde, who has also been brought back on, and he flashes at one. It flies past short third man and away for four. That was not a million miles though from finding the hands of the fielder. Root c Hope b Seales 57 Seales is brought back into the attack and, at the end of an expensive over, he gets a crucial wicket. He entices Root into a wider delivery and the ball is nicked through to Hope. FOW 188/3 Brook uses his feet to Greaves and deposits him over long off for a big six. That was a statement shot from the new England white-ball captain. A few balls later Brook gets down on one knee and flicks the ball over fine leg for a second six of the over. Quite a remarkable shot. England are in such a strong position with still the likes of Buttler, Bethell and Jacks to come. Joe Root has that ODI rhythm back, which is so good to see. He played so irregularly for a few years when the schedule was a mess that he lost it. But he's played a bank of games this year and looks the part. I'm not sure Buttler will make it to the 2027 World Cup, but I'm pretty certain Root will. "Rishabh Pant-esque!" 💥A remarkable shot from new England ODI captain Harry Brook 🌟 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 A single out to the point boundary brings up Root's 42nd ODI fifty, met by a roar of 'ROOOOOT!' from the Edgbaston crowd. It has come from 60 balls and it has been rather effortless and risk-free so far. We reach the halfway stage of the innings. The West Indies bowlers have managed to stem the flow of boundaries but these two are still rotating strike well. The run rate is still up at 6.54. Root is closing in on yet another ODI fifty. A single off Root's bat brings up the England 150. It is still very blustery out in the middle. Root plays plenty of shots splendidly but one he makes look so easy is the guided shot off the back foot down to third man. It is remarkable how easy he makes it look and it just keeps the scoreboard ticking along. England have so much batting still to come and will want to take full advantage of this start. The challenge is on for this new England outfit. At 148-2 after 22 overs, can they build on this good start, motor along nicely keeping wickets in hand for the end? In the recent past they have continued to go hard, got themselves out and run out of gas for the death overs, falling short with their total. With Brook new to the crease, Motie has a slip in place to England's captain. Five off the over. New white-ball captain Harry Brook joins his fellow Yorkshireman Root out in the middle and gets off the mark straight away with a single down to fine leg. Off his second ball later in the over Brook is slightly fortunate as an aerial flick comes up short of mid-wicket. Duckett c Chase b Greaves 60 That is a stunning catch to dismiss Duckett! The England opener tried to flick it away but gets a leading edge that flies to backward point. Chase jumps and sticks out his right hand to take a brilliant catch to end a great innings from Duckett. Two good catches to dismiss England's openers. FOW 137/2 Another SCREAMER from West Indies in the field 🤩 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 West Indies are desperately searching for a breakthrough here and it does not really like look coming, other than if England make an error of judgement. Not only are these two scoring boundaries regularly but they are also rotating strike very nicely. Off the final ball Duckett uses his feet to Motie but gets just a single down to long on. Root uses his foot to Greaves and punches down the ground for four. The ball went straight into the ground and Greaves was unable to get his hands on it to stop it. There is then a half appeal for LBW but it was straying down leg. Captain Shai Hope seriously considers a review but it was a good job he did not as the ball was sailing down leg. West Indies have just one review left after spurning one earlier. I wonder what was said in the West Indies huddle during that drinks break. They were really poor in the opening part of this innings and have to change things quickly or else this innings will quickly get away from them. It is a tight over though from Motie, going for just a couple. It will be a change of bowling from both ends as Justin Greaves comes on. It is a reasonably tight over but England still get five runs from it. Time for drinks. Change of bowling for the West Indies as Gudakesh Motie comes into the attack. The running between the wickets is good, with Root coming back for two having flicked the ball behind square on the leg side. These two are keeping the scoreboard ticking along nicely. Chase has been expensive, costing 27 runs from his three overs, but he continues. Off the final ball of the over Duckett pushes up to wide long-off and comes back for two to bring up his seventh ODI fifty in his 23rd match. It has come off just 34 balls. Joseph strays onto the pads and Root flicks him away for four, despite the best efforts on the boundary by Andrew. That boundary brings up England's 100 inside 13 overs. England are ticking along nicely, with the run rate currently sitting at 8.15. Root gets out the first reverse sweep for the first time in his innings and makes good connection, getting four runs. He had that completely under control. There have been a fair number of leaky overs from the West Indies so far but that is a tight over from Joseph, going for just two runs. Duckett is very lucky. He goes for the sweep against Chase but gets a top edge. Fortunately for Duckett it just lands safely at deep square leg. That was very nearly both set batsmen gone. Chase then commits the cardinal sin for a spinner; bowling a front foot no-ball. That gives Root the opportunity of facing the free hit and he sweeps him on the full over square leg's head for four. A very successful opening powerplay for England. Joseph looked like he was going to get out of the over well but Duckett decides to ramp scoop him over the keeper for four. Not much Joseph could do about that ingenuity from Duckett. Joe Root is in at number three. Roston Chase is into the attack and we have spin for the first time today. Guess what, Root is off the mark first ball with a push down to long-on for one. Poor fielding from Carty at cover allows Duckett to come back for two. Towards the end of the over Duckett has had enough of just tapping the ball around as he charges Chase and whacks him over mid-wicket for six. Smith c King b Joseph 37 West Indies make the breakthrough with a change of bowling. Joseph is into the attack and gets a wicket in his first over. Seales had just missed the opportunity to catch Smith at mid-on having slipped but the West Indies wait just moments to get him out. Smith times a pull superbly but it is straight at King, who takes a fantastic catch at mid-wicket with the ball flying towards him at speed. Smith's good innings comes to an end and he will be disappointed he did not make more of a good start. FOW 64/1 A good start for Smith, opening for the first time in List A cricket. He showed some of his class with seven fours in his 37 - the best a lofted off drive - and the partnership with Duckett looked to click. The left hand-right hand, short and tall combo seemed to mess with lines and lengths too. There were a couple of half chances from Smith before the reflex catch from Brandon King at midwicket. TOP CATCH! 🚨Brandon King takes a BEAUTY to dismiss Jamie Smith after a promising innings 🙌 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Duckett shows great late touch with a late cut down to the third-man boundary. Carty nearly makes a mess of his parry but stops it from hitting the boundary rope. Good running though from England brings them three. An aerial pull from Smith in front of square brings him two and in turn brings up the England 50 inside six overs. Smith then cracks one at speed through point for four. That flew to the point boundary. Smith finishes the over with yet another four through mid-wicket and England are flying. Smith squeezes one of the back foot between point and couple for two. Two Lloyds, David and Clive, both in attendance today. Smith then advances at Forde and lifts one over mid-off for four. Not the purest contact but still a decent enough connection. He then gets two more with a Kevin Pietersen-esque flick through mid-wicket. Smith finishes the over by getting on top of the bounce and punching off the back foot through cover for another four. Great start by England. We are hearing that the West Indies were forced into a very late change with Evin Lewis not making it and they turned to Jewel Andrew. A couple of former Prime Ministers are in the house today in the form of Sir John Major and Rishi Sunak. Seales strays onto Duckett's pads and that is easy pickings for Duckett, flicking it away through mid-wicket for four. Tremendous balance from Duckett there. Off the final ball of the over it is exactly the same as earlier in the over, with Seales straying onto Duckett's pads and it is the same result; four more. Solid start from this opening pair. Interesting train journey today. Rishi Sunak was on board with his protection officers on his way to the cricket. Group of blokes, late middle age I would say, sank at least 16 beers between the four of them between Euston and Birmingham and sat opposite me was Mike Powell, the former Warwickshire captain who is now head of cricket at Rugby School and chatted about an exciting young cricketer he coached there, Jacob Bethell. Pretty wild start from Jayden Seales, but that is what England's opening pair are designed to do: knock a bowler off his line and length. Jamie Smith is effectively playing the role of Zak Crawley, as a tall right-hander who contrasts nicely with little Ben Duckett. Many thought Jacob Bethell should open with Duckett but that would leave England with their two left-handers opening and five right-handers from three to seven, which in white-ball cricket is a bit of a no-no as it can allow spinners to settle into a rhythm. Forde gives Duckett too much width and is too short, with Duckett taking the gift by cutting it away just in front of point for four. A positive start so far with a few hairy moments. Jayden Seales will open from the Birmingham End and he strikes Smith on the pads with his first ball. It struck Smith on the full but was going down leg. Two balls later Smith is dropped. He flashes at a wider delivery from Seales and the ball flies to Greaves' right at second slip. Greaves sticks out his right hand but cannot keep hold of it. It runs away for four down to third man. Seales then strikes Smith on the pads and there is a huge appeal, which umpire Kumar Dharmasena turns down. The West Indies think long and hard before reviewing. It appeared that they had run out of time but they are allowed to review. It is not a good review to say the least from Shai Hope as the ball was going way down leg. Everyone knew it a long time before the decision came having seen just one replay and were quickly back into position. Smith then responds by drilling Seales through cover for four. He then finishes the over by flicking it through wide mid-on for another four and that brings to an end an eventful over. Smith has played a couple of delightful shots in that over but also looked troubled. Smith goes for a drive through the offside first ball and gets an inside edge through square leg to get the first run of the innings. A little bit of movement from Forde into Smith and the wind has got up at Edgbaston. Duckett faces three dot balls before finally getting off the mark with an emphatic cover drive for four. Too full from Forde and Duckett punishes him. Five from the opening over. The Harry Brook era has its first boundary courtesy of Ben Duckett 💥 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett head out to the middle. Matthew Forde will send down the opening over. We are ready for action at Edgbaston. Both sides make their way out onto the outfield, led by Bob Willis' daughter Katie. Tomorrow would have been Bob's 76th birthday and we have 45 seconds of roaring applause for the England great. Today is #BlueForBob, where Edgbaston will turn blue to raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer 💙 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 29, 2025 There are growing fears that English women's cricket is becoming a soft target for corruption, with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of bets placed on matches. Corruption in men's cricket has been a longstanding issue for the sport, with numerous high-profile examples coming to light. A Telegraph Sport investigation can reveal a crackdown taking place in the women's game after uncovering: For more from Sonia Twigg, click here. Adil Rashid is magic 🪄Congratulations, Rash! 👏#ENGvWI | #EnglandCricket — England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 29, 2025 Jamie Smith will open against West Indies as England begin their ODI rebuild under new captain Harry Brook by looking to the Test team for inspiration. Smith will be aiming to emulate Adam Gilchrist as a keeper turned ODI opener after replacing Phil Salt at the top of the order. Salt was part of the team that bombed at the Champions Trophy earlier this year, losing three matches out of three. Gilchrist, who like Smith batted at No 7 in Tests, scored 9,200 ODI runs with 16 centuries in 260 games as an opener, winning three World Cups with Australia. Of players who started their ODI careers before 2000, only five batsmen have a better strike rate. 'There are a couple of new faces who have played before but have not been in recently. We are looking forward to what the future holds. We will try to get back to winning ways, and try to have as strong a team as possible. 'As a batting unit, we need to try and get bigger scores individually - try to get those match-winning knocks; as a bowling unit, to take wickets throughout, and have the skills to bowl to certain dimensions.' Welcome to Edgbaston. A decent crowd in today. Jos Buttler bats at five and will keep in his first match as the former England captain. Harry Brook described him as still being the no 1 white ball batsman in the world yesterday but in reality he has not operated at that level for a while now. At 34 Buttler could still make the 2027 ODI World Cup but you feel they missed a trick here by not giving Tom Banton his chance and really building a fresh, young new team for Brook to work with. Cue a Buttler hundred today. England: Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid. West Indies: Brandon King, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (captain and wicketkeeper), Amir Jangoo, Roston Chase, Jewel Andrew, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales. The coin goes in favour of Shai Hope and he has decided to bowl first. Here is what Hope had to say at the toss: 'We are going to bowl first and try to see if we can get the best of the conditions bowling. Data shows that the team chasing usually gets the better of them. 'We know what is at stake here, so we have got to play good cricket and see if we can start the series well with a win. We need to adapt as quickly as we can, use the experience of the guys who have been here previously.' We already know the England XI but who will win the toss? Harry Brook or Shai Hope? Both captains are out in the middle in Edgbaston and we are ready for the toss. 'There are quite a few challenges that will unfold over the course of his [Brook's] journey and tenure as captain of this side. There will be hiccups along the way and fires you have to put out. 'One of the challenges I found as a leader was getting people to lean in and to listen. If you can do that, you can deliver a message and comminute where you want to go and how you want to get there. 'Right here and now, this England team are listening, because there is an element of desperation. They are desperate to get back to where this talented squad belongs, which is competing at ICC events. They have lost their last seven ODI's on the trot.' West Indies will begin their tour of England on Thursday: their first match in the country for all of… 10 months. The tourists will play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s before leaving almost as quickly as they arrived. The wider context of the games is not immediately clear, even if there is some jeopardy in the matches. England are eighth in the ODI rankings, and West Indies ninth. Should either side slip to 10th by the cut-off in March 2027, they will face the grim prospect of entering the qualification tournament for the final four spots in the 2027 World Cup. The opacity about how England could end up in the qualifiers speaks to a wider flaw in how ODIs are organised. The rankings mean little to players and are prone to manipulation. West Indies learnt as much in 2015 when Pakistan cancelled a tri-series, knowing that losing to West Indies would endanger their Champions Trophy spot. ODI's: Today- Edgbaston Sunday 1st June- Cardiff Tuesday 3rd June- The Oval T20's: Friday 6th June- Durham Sunday 8th June- Bristol Tuesday 10th June- Southampton A new one-day era for English cricket begins today as Harry Brook begins his permanent tenure as England's white-ball captain, hosting the West Indies at Edgbaston in the first of three ODI's. Brook has taken over from Jos Buttler, who retains his place in the side and keeps wicket. It has been a rough few years on one-day cricket for England. Under Eoin Morgan between 2015 and 2020, England were the most formidable one-day outfit and then Buttler took over the captaincy, winning the T20 World Cup in 2022. However, since then, things have gone downhill at the 2023 World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Matthew Mott has come and gone in the last few years and Buttler has been replaced as captain. They have lost their past seven ODI's, including all three matches at the Champions Trophy earlier this year, but Brook is looking to bring a renewed energy to this new regime. 'It is a new era and hopefully we can bring a lot of energy, competitiveness and lot of fun out there. We want to engage the crowd as much as we can and try to get some wins under our belt. I know lads have sometimes said that we do not care about winning but that is not true. Everybody hates losing. 'As a batter, I will try and be the positive, attacking self I usually am. That is part of the ethos Baz and I are bringing. We want to put bowlers' best balls under pressure. We are going to try and have our best players as much as possible (from now on). There is so much cricket to be played and we have got to try and help players with their scheduling as well.' Brook does have a little experience captaining England, having stepped in as captain for the then-injured Buttler last summer, when England lost 3-2 at home against Australia. England have already named their side for this first ODI, with Jamie Smith given the nod to open alongside Ben Duckett. Smith has never opened in List A cricket and struggled batting at number three during the Champions Trophy earlier this year. However, he has the backing of both his captain Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum. ''Baz [Brendon McCullum] and I have this desire that he [Smith] could be an unbelievable white-ball opener. Baz actually said it in Pakistan to me and a few lads. I am not saying he has cemented his spot but he is going to get a good crack. He is such an immense player and can play the moving ball, as we have seen in Test cricket. There is no reason he can't bang it as an opener.' England are currently without fast bowlers Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson due to injury. They are currently eighth in the ODI world rankings, one place above their opponents. The West Indies, who are captained by Shai Hope, were most recently in action last week, when they drew 1-1 against Ireland. Play gets under way from Edgbaston at 1pm.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Why Are You Thinking About Next Youngster?": KL Rahul Hits Out At 'Decision Makers'
Team India has rolled into a new chapter in Test cricket, with Shubman Gill being made the side's captain, while Rishabh Pant takes the role of his deputy. The transition comes after the retirement of stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. The Ajit Agarkar -led selection committee, in a press conference on Saturday, made it clear that the focus is to groom the next generation. Though another veteran India batter, KL Rahul, is part of the Test squad, he isn't entirely onboard with the rush to groom the next generation of talent. In a conversation with Nasser Hussain on Sky Cricket, Rahul shared the pressure of having to prove himself time and again. While the wicket-keeper batter categorically said that he doesn't mind doing that, as it's part of an athlete's life, things get tough when the 'decision-makers' forget what a player did in recent outings. "I don't mind having to prove himself. I think that's how sports go. You never settle. And it's just not for me, it's for every person who plays a sport. You have to always perform, every tournament, every game, and that's the challenge of being an international athlete. I see the same amount of competition for English, Aussie, or Kiwi players," Rahul said. "That's not what's hard. The hard part is that people who make decisions seem to forget what a player has done in the recent tournament. That has been a little bit of a challenge for me," he further said. As Rahul's Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign concludes, he isn't entirely sure when India's next ODI assignment is going to be. The 33-year-old feels extensive gaps between assignments trigger talks of 'groom the next generation' out of the blue, much to his disappointment. "I don't know when the next ODI series will be, but by the time the English summer gets over, which could be about five (three) months, you see people writing and commenting that we need to look for players for the 2027 World Cup or the next World Cup after. And sometimes, as a player, you sit back and think, 'why should there be a change when something's working for you? Why are you thinking about the next youngster already?'" Rahul said. "But I don't think it's a challenge for me. It's for everybody else." Listen to the latest songs, only on
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley return to form to give England selection headache
Ben Stokes started the day by rowing back on his suggestion that Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley are playing for their places against Zimbabwe but the message had already landed. In his briefing with the written press on Wednesday, Stokes answered 'put two and two together' and 'you probably know what's going to happen' when asked if Jacob Bethell keeps his place at no 3 when he returns from the IPL. Privately, Stokes wanted it known later he was referring to the squad, not the starting XI but even if it was a slip of the tongue it did put in public what everybody already knew, that Crawley and Pope need runs. Crawley riposted with 124 and Pope an unbeaten 169 to give the captain and selectors a problem for the India series. With Ben Duckett scoring 140 they became the first top three to make centuries in the same innings twice in Test cricket; England cruised to 498-3 at 5.6 an over and this game already a race between a Harley-Davidson and a penny farthing. "Composure and execution, with typical style" 🔥Zak Crawley brings up his fifth Test match century 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 The first time they each made hundreds was against a shellshocked Pakistan in Rawalpindi on a day when Bazball intoxicatingly clicked but this was more a series of personal crusades against a Zimbabwe attack that was dismantled quicker than the Trent Bridge pavilion building site. Duckett's motivation was not repeating the mistakes of 2024 when he played well and did not chalk up enough hundreds; Crawley and Pope just needed a score. Duckett accelerated through the gears to his fifth Test hundred and first on his home ground, starting slowly by batting out a maiden, something he did not do all last summer, and even left a delivery outside off stump before he had double figures. Pope was off to a flyer with 21 off his first 10 balls before settling into rhythm while Crawley batted at the same pace, looking every inch a player who knew he needed a hundred and was determined to make it happen. What a start to the summer for Ben Duckett 🤩Five Test match hundreds and counting for the opener 🏴 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 This was only Crawley's fifth hundred in his 54th Test and first since Australia at Old Trafford two summers ago. He was dismantled in New Zealand before Christmas by Matt Henry, averaging 8.66, and made one score above 50 in the Pakistan series in October. It is unlikely he was going to be dropped for the India series. Bethell would have to open in that case against Jasprit Bumrah but had Crawley missed out here it would have left little room for error against India. Also, making hundreds has been a problem for Crawley at every level. This was only his 12th first-class century in 128 games and unlike Pope, who has a phenomenal record for Surrey, Crawley's Kent returns are humdrum. This summer he had averaged two, yes two, in the first innings of matches in division two. Zimbabwe did not test Crawley enough outside off stump and he could lean into his cover drive with confidence. He looked to score more singles than chase fours, and it was a calm, collected innings with Crawley looking a lot tighter in his technique. He struck 14 fours from 171 balls and the only time he looked uncomfortable was just before his dismissal when he inside edged a ball onto the bony part of his hip. He needed treatment from the physio and was out soon after sweeping. Duckett's first 10 runs took 20 balls but he became the aggressor. His first fifty took 47 deliveries and reached 100 off 100 balls exactly, making it his second quickest Test hundred. He struck 20 fours and two sixes and was licking his lips when off spinner Wessly Madhevere came on, walloping his first two balls for four and six before clubbing his third to cover. Pope was the one under real scrutiny because he bats no 3, where Bethell took Test cricket like a natural in New Zealand. There was an air of his flakiness at the start of innings when he went back first ball from Madhevere and survived a strong leg before shout. But Zimbabwe did not have the bowling plans or skills to apply pressure and Pope was quickly away, his nerves settled and the runs flowing. Pope cut and pulled with ease as Zimbabwe bowled too short, his 24 fours and two sixes were enjoyed by the crowd. "An excellent hundred, you have to say a much-needed one" 💪An eighth Test century for Ollie Pope 🔥 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Zimbabwe were just crushed. This was a bruising day that highlighted the huge gulf between the top teams and the rest. It came from a good place for the ECB to invite them over but one-sided Test cricket is tedious. Trent Bridge, one of the world's great cricket grounds, was only half full and the pavilion shrouded in tarpaulin and scaffolding as it goes through a refit. It was not a good look on day one of the Test summer, the only credit was the hundred or so Zimbabwe fans who sang all day. Zimbabwe's bowling fed the strengths of the England batsmen. Too short to Duckett, too full to Crawley and they were bowler short with seamer Richard Ngarava off the field injured by the time Pope came in to add a few more punches to the guts. Sikandar Raza, their T20 expert, kept it tight with his mix off spin, leg spin and carrom balls and 6ft 8in Blessing Muzarabani hurried up the batsmen with the odd delivery but the warning signs flashed last week at Grace Road when a bunch of promising county players declared on 464 in their second innings and beat Zimbabwe by 138 runs. On Friday, Bethell will be warming the bench for RCB in the IPL. England this year decided to let players make their own decision over staying or coming home from India. In Bethell's case it would have been better to make the call for him because it is hard for a young player to upset an IPL owner. Bethell needed to hide behind a recall because he is short of red-ball cricket. He has never scored a first-class hundred and only bowled 192 red-ball overs. In his absence Pope and Crawley did their best to make sure it is a while before he adds to those numbers. A tough day all told for Zimbabwe, who lost Ngarava early to injury, depriving them of one of their best options with the ball. For England, it was superb day against what was, it must be said, a relatively poor attack. Hundreds for Duckett, Crawley and Pope all bode well ahead of what is to come later this summer. The last time England scored 500 in a day in England was Brook nor Pope will know that but it's fun little wrinkle in this final over of the session. A couple of nice deliveries from Chivanga beat Pope before he's forced to dig out a yorker. The final ball of the day is tickled round the corner for four. England end of 498/3, a fine day for them but I can't be the only one a shade disappointed to see them fall just short of 500. England finish day one on 498-3 after centuries from Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope 🏴🤩 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Muzarabani beats Pope all ends up – the first time we have seen any England batsmen truly bettered by a delivery all session. He's suddenly found his range with this new ball and looks very dangerous indeed. That's loose though. Short, wide and punished (deservedly) by Pope. Is this the last over? No, we will have one more. Chivanga given one last chance to get a breakthrough here late on day one. Pope, whose progress has slowed since Root's dismissal, picks up a single out to deep square. Brook then gets hold of one but is denied anything after some excellent fielding at mid-on. Muzarabani getting some nice carry in the dying embers of day one. Harry Brook in no rush though. Excellent maiden. Ollie Pope has been likened often to Joe Root. And there is one way which Pope improves upon the Modern Master: balance. Root has phases when his head falls across to the offside. Pope, helped by being shorter, does not fall over or else does it less. A couple of flicks by Pope - one for six off the new ball - have been marvellous shots, to go with his offdriving. England move to 480...500 in a day is now seriously possible depending on how these two choose to approach these closing 20 minutes. Brook gets off the mark with a quick single into the off side. Muzarabani had not got the short ball right until that delivery, which just bounced slightly more than Root was expecting. Harry Brook joins the fray. Root c Williams b Muzarabani 34 Root looks to control a pull down but gets a top-edge instead sending the ball high into the sky. Good taken at fine leg by Williams. Zimbabwe have their third wicket 🇿🇼Joe Root is dismissed by a Blessing Muzarabani bouncer ❌ — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Six more for Pope! The ball is well down the leg side but Pope gets enough of the toe of the bat on it to send it sailing into the stands. Declaration looking less and less likely now. Harry Brook still has his pads on and perhaps it's just not worth it with for the four-odd overs they would get. New ball taken and immediately sent to the boundary by Root, who just rocks back and eases the ball through backward point. Pope a little loose with a drive but the hard ball and the quick outfield are enough to carry the ball to the fence. Nothing loose about the next shot, as Pope leans back and lifts the ball neatly over the slips. A loose slog is less pretty but takes Pope to beyond 150. Quality stuff. ...only Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis and Dravid ahead of Root in the all-time Test runs list. Root tucks one off his legs to move to 28 and the crowd rise to hail his 13,000th Test match run. Remarkable. At the other end, Pope continues apace, drilling Nyauchi down the ground for four before clipping one uppishly past the man at mid-wicket for yet another boundary. The over ends with Pope picking one up off a length and lifting the ball over the leg-side infield for four. "Perhaps England's finest EVER" 🤩Joe Root reaches 13,000 Test Runs 🙌 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Muzarabani returns to the attack but the singles keep coming before Pope somehow gets bat on one that keeps low – a boundary through the slips is his reward. A few balls later, Pope plays the shot of the session, all balance and timing to crack Muzarabani through extra cover for four. Hopeful appeal from the wicketkeeper as the ball canons into Root's pads but it looks like its just going down the leg side. Singles follow. This is death by a thousand cuts for Zimbabwe. Root continues to pick up singles with ease. His ability to tick things over without taking any risks early in his innings is quite remarkable. At the other end, Pope punishes a leg-stump half-volley from Nyauchi. England's No 3 is really nearly playing on the very next ball. Blogger's curse and all that... Short from Raza, punished by Pope. Easy boundary through cover-point as England look to put their foot on the accelerator as the day heads towards its conclusion. Root narrowly avoids an ugly run out after being sent back by Pope. We enter the last hour of the day and Ben Stokes is sat on the balcony in his up or declaring? YOU DECIDE (excuse the Big Brother reference). Nyauchi is back into the attack and Ollie Pope tracks him, which feels like a signal of intent. Creditable effort from Zimbabwe in frankly demoralising circumstances as England continue on their merry way Runs are just so easy to come by. A good hand at cover prevents the ball dribbling to the boundary but Pope scampers back for three. At the other end, Root and neatly and quietly compiled 16 with the minimum of fuss. He plays a delightful little late cut to pick up a boundary. All touch and feel that. Root clips one off this legs for Raza. Stokes must be thinking of a declaration here. Remember this is just a four-day game. Elsewhere, Pope makes room for himself and gets to his hundred with a trademark punch through point for four. Another player who needed some runs at the start of this summer and has got them. "An excellent hundred, you have to say a much-needed one" 💪An eighth Test century for Ollie Pope 🔥 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Again three Zimbabwean fielders around the boundary when Ollie Pope was 99* - how to spread out a red carpet and usher an opponent to his century? Apart from the quick start - 11 off his first five balls - a fine controlled hundred by Pope. And he didn't rock the boat by playing very high-risk shots when Crawley was in his 80s. Good team man. Brian Bennett is given an of a poison chalice with Pope in the 90s but worth a go. Pope picks up a couple after some agricultural fielding from the man at mid-off before picks up a boundary behind square on the off side. He moves to 99... Raza continues around the wicket with Pope seven shy of his hundred. The change of angle has just tucked up Pope a touch here, as he tries to force the ball into the vacant gaps on the off side. Maiden over. Short from Madhevere and Root does not miss out, oozing characteristic class with a beautiful back-foot drive. Two balls later, same ball, same result, only this time it's Pope who profits. This has been fairly sub-par from Zimbabwe in truth, even with the class disparity between the two sides taken into account. Pope continues on his merry way, with a quick single off Raza he's now 13 shy of a century. That defensive line is all well and good but Zimbabwe need another man on the leg side, England are just milking singles at present. A change of angle now for Raza, who comes round the wicket to Pope. Blessing Muzarabani returns. He has been expensive today but is arguably the bowler with the most quality in this Zimbabwe attack. Great fielding in the gully prevents Root from picking up a single before an elegant push into the offside gives England's No4 a couple. Credit to Sikander Raza who has battled hard in tough circumstances and finally gets a reward. Joe Root now joins the hardly getting easier for Zimbabwe. Crawley lbw Raza 124 Now that looks close, Crawley reviews but that looked pretty straight at first glance as we went for a hard sweep and DRS does not come to Crawley's rescue on this occasion, he's gone for a well-played 124 – and excellent start to his Test summer. FOW: 398/2 Sikandar Raza makes a crucial breakthrough for Zimbabwe ✅Zak Crawley departs for 124 🏴 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Plenty of shots of Stokes on the England balcony a declaration be on the cards? Elsewhere, Crawley still does not looks comfortable. Chivanga then drops short and it's easy picking for Pope, who only has to get some bat on it to pick up four down to fine leg. Pope sets off for a quick single at the start of the next over and Crawley is still moving very gingerly despite getting home safely. And just like that, here comes the physio to check Crawley out. After a couple of minutes of treatment he looks fine to continue. Crawley climbs into a half-volley outside off-stump and the despairing dive from the man at cover can't stop another England boundary. Chivanga then whacks Crawley on the hip after a mis-timed pull – looks painful but he appears to have recovered quickly. Hmmm this does not looks good. Crawley appears to have injured himself running after a mistimed drive. He's holding the area that was struck earlier in the over. Let's hope he can just run it off. Fair play to England, as they pass 350 for one wicket. They have done what they had to do on a flat pitch without getting giddy. They have respected the game and the opposition and, above all, they haven't given their wickets away. Ollie Pope was a bit frenzied when he came in but that is his way. In sum, a fine re-booting so far. Raza just one to tail in late towards Pope pads drawing hands on heads from himself and the close catchers. They have little to cling onto here as England continue to rotate strike with consummate ease. Chivanga returns to the attack with Zimbabwe desperately seeking a breakthrough. Crawley will surely put his foot down on the accelerator now he 's reached three figures and he does just that, picking up for down the ground thanks to some poor fielding at mid-off. Chivanga then tries the effort ball but it goes horribly wrong. It's miles down the leg side leaving Tsiga with no chance whatsoever and adding five to the England score. Tafadzwa Tsiga is remaining creditably loud with the gloves for Zimbabwe amid what is fairly bleak game situation. Raza continues with his defensive line. Nyauchi just has not got the pace to trouble England, especially with little assistance – aside from some gentle inswing – from the ball, pitch or conditions. If he misses his spot even slightly, it's an easy single at least for Pope and Crawley – who bring up the hundred partnership off the final ball of the over. Raza continues his neat work, asking a few questions of Pope but ultimately letting the pressure off by dropping short and giving England's No 3 an easy single. A hundred for Zak Crawley! And a much-needed one ahead of what is a massive summer for the opener. One suspect the attacks he will face later this summer and into the winter will have a slightly sharper edge. He bought it up with a leading edge but he will not care one iota. Pope follows up with a six. He looks a shade lucky, flicking the ball towards the man on the fence at deep square but he timing is supreme. "Composure and execution, with typical style" 🔥Zak Crawley brings up his fifth Test match century 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Zimbabwe didn't even bring in their three boundary fielders to save a single when Zak Crawley was on 99. Such was the inevitability and their acceptance… Pope tucks Raza off his legs for a single. This is pure one-day bowling now, a packed leg side field with the bowl speared into middle and leg. Damage limitation at it's finest from the tourists. Evening all, what an easy day for England far. A power-puff first day of the international summer. Victor Nyauchi offers a bit of width to Pope but he gets away with it, the ball flying over slip and down to the third-man boundary. Another four follows, this time pulled hard behind square for four. You feel Pope has three figures firmly on the mind in this final session. Now it's Crawley's turn, hammering a cover drive for four to move with two of his hundred. Sikandar Raza resumes with his 12th over and Pope brings up his fifty with an on-drive for a single down to long on. Crawley works a single off the unusual spinner to midwicket. Pope slaps one that looked like a seamer for a single and that's that. And that's my stint done. Time to hand over. Tom Ward will be your guide to close of play. This is a march, a shooting fish in a barrel exercise. England lost one wicket in the afternoon – Ben Duckett caught at cover – but it was batsman's error, not bowler's skill that brought the breakthrough. Duckett cashed in with 140, his fifth Test hundred, and Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope are not going to pass up a gift either. Crawley is more muted than usual, recognising the importance of this innings for his future. At tea he is 93 off 139. Pope was off to a flyer with 21 off his first 10 balls, helping himself to some freebies, but what will it all mean? This is such a poor Zimbabwe side that these runs are starting to feel a little meaningless. Nothing Pope and Crawley can do about that, other than keep going and make the selectors' decision a tough one when they choose the side for India. Fine hundred from Duckett, his fifth and Crawley is on the threshold of his fifth, too. Odd to say given a run rate of 5.56 that Pope's perky innings has been a tonic but it has because of the elegance of his strokeplay. Poor old Zimbabwe are taking a pounding but I can't see any other way of broadening the Test game other than giving inexperienced teams invitations. It can take 50 years for them to be truly competitive and we need them for Test cricket to be around in 50 years. Waiting for the inswinger proves productive for Pope who sways and leans to resemble a straw in the wind/backward slash – \ –and flicks it fine for four. Crawley ends the session by chopping Nyaichi down to third man for two after Pope's midwicket whip for a single put him on strike. That's tea with the second wicket partnership now 64 off 69 balls. Pope plays another lovely cut shot for four at the start of the over before Raza, using his leg-spinner, and the one over the top of his hand, flicked between thumb and forefinger to keep the vice-captain on his toes Pope drives Nyauchi for a single but the right-arm in-swing bowler finds a tighter line to Crawley and keeps him quiet with four dot balls and with the help of his cover fielder. What's England's plan here? I suspect they will want to have a path to winning in two days, especially with a dodgy forecast for Saturday. So: probably get to 420 or so as quickly as possible, then declare with half an hour or so left this evening. That still leaves plenty of time for Zak Crawley to get a monster score. Glorious shot from Pope, late-cutting Raza off his stumps down to third man for two. He tries the shot again but mistimes it and rather conspicuously plays two text book forward defensives before sweeping a single that pops off the top edge between fielders. Victor replaces Blessing and they work him away for two singles each, three of them into the legside, using the angle and shape to flick them. A square drive from Crawley takes him to 90. They are far more cautious with Raza who is in a good groove now, mixing up his deliveries, paces, points of release. They take a single each, both right-handers working the ball off their legs. Crawley has played second fiddle to the dashing Duckett and the buccaneering pontiff but is given a short one by Muzarabeni and he pulls it savagely off the front foot for four, barely extending his arms, all biceps and elbows. This is England's highest opening partnership in a home Test in 35 years. — Yas Rana (@Yas_Wisden) May 22, 2025 Good spot by the wonderful Yas. It's the highest since Atherton and Gooch's 225 at Old Trafford 10 days on from their 204 at Lord's against India in the 333 match. Back comes the frontline spinner Raza to replace the golden if expensive arm of Madhevere. And he manages to apply the breaks with his variations, including a slinger, yielding only two singles. Pope has taken a liking to Muzarabani and is batting as if Scyld's musing about a declaration this evening is something the dressing room is contemplating. He creams the tall right-arm quick for four through cover and uppercuts the bouncer for four more. Pope is playing at classic Crawley tempo, cutting Madhevere for four then slapping another short one for a single. Crawley, by contrast, deals in singles, hunkering deep to work one through midwicket and another to the cover sweeper. That was the second double-century partnership between Crawley and Duckett, two short of their best (233). Pope looks in amazing nick, opening the face to run two down to third man, leg-glancing handsomely for four then bludgeoning a cut stroke for four more that flirted with the diving Bennett at gully but flew past. Time for the off-spinning all-rounder Wessly Madhevere and Duckett gives him an unwelcome greeting to England with a crashing thump off the back foot through cover followed by a towering six, pulled off a long hop. But Madhevere's web did its work and ensnared him next ball. Enter His Holiness who is pinned first ball by a big turning off-break that did too much and hit him too high above the knee roll on his right leg. A drag down is a more polite welcome for Pope and he duly dispatches it for four, cutting it hard for four. Duckett c Curran b Madhevere 140 Duckett can't believe it having taken the off-spinner for four, six and then out off his first three balls. He rocked back and tried to smash the cover off a back-foot punch but slapped it straight to cover. So hard does he smash his right had into his thigh ne may have given himself a dead leg begore shuffling off. FOW 231/1 Zimbabwe have their first wicket of the match 🇿🇼Ben Duckett's magical innings comes to an end 🪄 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Ervine turns back to his strike bowler, Blessing Muzarabani. Only one slip. Duckett steers a single off an open dace down to third man and Crawley plays tip and run to cover who gives him the hurry up with a smart collect, dive and underarm shy. The ball missed the stumps but Crawley had scurried home in any case. Bangladesh in 2005, India in 1959, New Zealand in 1958…. No, it's hard to think there has been a greater disparity between England and a touring side since the Second World War, because Ireland got a foothold in both of their Tests at Lord's. And it could get grimmer if England declare with an hour left today… Chivanga's bouncer evades Crawley's bat as it arrows down leg but not his pads and it is diverted fine for four leg-byes. The next delivery is also angling down but this snacks into the keeper's gloves as does the third. I don't think this is a strategy for strangulation. Rather that he can't stop them drifting. Crawley punches two through cover when Chivanga does a Mark Wood and tumbles in his followthrough and follows that with a handsome cover drive off a wider one as the right-arm quick overcorrects his line. . Duckett summons the drinks by clubbing four through cover with a bat halfway between horizontal and are supposed to be six hours of play in a Test day and at halfway we've got through 39 overs. I mean… Chivanga's shorter ball scuttles under Duckett's pull, dips desperately late and burrows beneath poor Tsiga's dive to go down for four byes. He doesn't deserve that, Duckett toes another cut for a single to raise England's 200 and, obviously, the double-century partnership, the highest since their first together (of 233) at Rawalpindi in 2022 on Duckett's recall after five years' exile. Chivanga foxes Duckett with a knuckle ball that the left-hander carts high over long on, early on the shot, for three. Diddled by the quicker one from Raza, Duckett closes the face too soon and it sails off a leading edge, coming to earth agonisingly short of mid-on. Tsiga is from the Moin Khan school of chatty keepers, constantly encouraging his spinner after every ball. 'Sackie! Sackie!' A tad monotonously for my tastes. Was never a fan of the 'Bowled, Shane!' or 'Mushy, chalo. Mushy!' either. You can't give Duckett anything to cut and get away with it and so it proves for the returning Tanaka Chivanga who moved the ball more than anyone this morning but was expensive when he got his line wrong. Duckett scythes him away for four and then when given another short one, this on off stump, he pulls it over square leg for six! He absolutely flogged that one. Duckett squeezes Raza's darted one away into the onside for a single while Crawley fails to get his bat on the carrom ball that arrowed into his pads but sprints a couple of leg-byes nonetheless. Duckett throws whatever caution he still had (very little) to the wind, pulling Nyauchi uppishly through midwicket, a yard beyond the diving fielder's span for four, then panning another just short of the diving bowler in his followthrough. He tried to scoop his hand under the ball as he threw himself forward but could not quite manage it. When Nyauchi drops short, Duckett cuffs it for four behind square. Until Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks into India's ODI team (might take a little while as Sharma and Kohli are still around), there's a very strong case that Ben Duckett is the best all-format opener in the world. It would be fantastic to see him get really ruthless in 2025. A terrific start. A hundred for Duckett on his (current) home ground when he works the spinner Raza off his pads round the corner for a single. A hundred off a hundred balls. Off comes the helmet and he raises both arms before embracing his partner. Lovely shot from Crawley, picking the leg break and giving himself room to square drive it for four. England's new training kit, including beanie hats which are being worn on the chilly balcony, are in imperial purple. They all rose to applaud Duckett, a strange sight with Nos three, four and five in whites with purple woolly hats. 💯 runs 💯 balls 🙌 A home hundred for Ducky! 🏟@BenDuckett1 | @IGcom — England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 22, 2025 Nyauchi began this session with a fine over but sprays this one around, Ducektt whisking three off his legs when he goes straight, Crawley tickling the inswinger for a single and forcing the keeper Tsiga into a great take, diving headlong to his right as the ball swings even further after the stumps. And then he almost lures Duckett on to the rocks with a full one floated outside off stump at 75mph. Duckett throws his hands at a drive and the ball whistles past the edge as it moved away. Raza drops too short and Duckett uses his flashing wrists when crouched deep in his crease to lace a punch between cover point and extra- for four. The spinner then errs on the fuller side and Duckett takes him for a single through mid-off. Crawley uses Raza's width to steer two more through cover. Old man Scoreboard, he just keeps rolling along… Duckett moves to 90 and England to 150 with a dab down to third man for two. Duckett has only four Test centuries from 61 innings but 10 scores between 71 and 98, eight of them in the past two yea to back up Will's point. . The only way this is an equal contest between England and Zimbabwe, who have been reduced to ten men: it is 3-3 in terms of reviews remaining. It's never a long wait for Duckett to get the broom out and he reverse-sweeps Raza for four. Richard Ngarava starts to give chase and seizes up. He seems to have had a back spasm or possibly twanged his hamstring. He can't move, standing like a statue until the physio comes on. He's holding his lower back on the right side. They have to send on the little electric truck to take him off. The last thing Zimbabwe need is to lose a frontline bowler. Raza's variations include his pace and he slings down a carrom ball that Duckett drives for two and then takes a single off the next. Crawley ends the over with a hard sweep, RSVP-ing the invitation from a straight ball with brutal force. Victor Nyauchi continues after lunch and starts with a peach from round the wicket to Duckett that angles in, climbs, nips away and kisses his sleeveles sweater around hip-height after it beats the bat. The keeper appeals but is persuaded the noise was neither bat nor glove. Much better from Zimbabwe and not just from the bowlers as the fielders back them up with good stops. Five probing dot balls are followed by one that acts like the first and this one does catch the edge, thickly enough to send it between slip and gully for four. Catchable height for third slip but he's long gone. A lengthy Zimbabwe huddle precedes the resumption. I'm sure it was all said over lunch but always good to re-emphasise. Spin straight after lunch from Sikandar Raza, fresh from the Pakistan Super League. He's very much like Sunil Narine in terms of a bouncing run-up, hiding the ball in his action as long as possible and possessing the ability to turn it both ways. Duckett takes a couple of singles straight and into the offside, Crawley's with the turn through midwicket. A spot of lunchtime perambulation for me. The crowd is decent rather than massive, but there will be a few more in tomorrow and Saturday apparently. Loads of Zimbabwean caps and shirts here, which is great to see. England could not have had an easier introduction to Test cricket in 2025 than the opening session against Zimbabwe. It was total dominance by Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley with a 130-run unbroken opening stand. Apart from a half chance caught and bowled when Crawley was on 10, Zimbabwe have not had a sniff of a wicket after winning the toss and bowling first on a cloudy Nottingham morning. Gilbert Jessop's name has already been mentioned, with a view to the strokemakers coming in later on and setting records and it could be a really bruising day for Zimbabwe, playing their first Test here for 22 years. Duckett has never scored a Test hundred on his home ground and this is an important year for him. He had a good 2024, but it could have been better, he failed to convert enough good starts into centuries. He looks as if he has taken that on board and wants to do better this year. Crawley is under pressure for his place as always, although most of that scrutiny is coming from outside the dressing room. Inside, he retains rock solid support and today can cement his place. A couple of chances – when Crawley's drive flashed past Muzarabani and Duckett spooned one that stuck in the pitch just short of mid-off – apart, that was pretty much the perfect session for Ben Duckett and, particularly Zak Crawley who has been in the crosshairs so long he must feel like Charles De Gaulle. Victor Nyauchi must be the first Victor to play Test cricket since Victor James Marks who, incidentally, was played by my friend Pete Lovell in the Bollywood smash 83. A non-speaking role, alas. Just a single off Victor's third over and he pins Crawley with a hooping inswinger. They take a good 20 seconds to ponder a review but wisely keep it up their sleeve as it seemed to be missing leg stump by at least 18 inches. Indeed it was. That's lunch. Crawley flicks a single off Muzarabani through midwicket and Duckett plays the deftest of dabs for two through third man. Time for one more over before lunch. Spin? No. It will be Nyauchi. Severe case of pad rash for Ollie Pope here. Runs to be had, Bethell incoming. You'd be itching to get out there, wouldn't you? Lovely shot from Duckett but it was a gimme of a delivery from Nyauchi, wide and full. Duckett thumps it for four with the sweetest of 'thocks' resounding off prime Englihs willow. A shorter ball pushes the left-hander back and he slaps it square for two. Duckett uses the linseed oil hole, or would have if such a thing still existed, to reach across to a very wide one and toe it for four through third man. As Michael Atherton says, he'll chalk the cue after that one. England have batted well against some inconsistent bowling which, given the alien conditions, particularly the cold, and the lack of experience, is to be expected. Muzarabani has been the pick of them but still has a four-ball at least every other over. Rubbish over-rate, too. But that ship has long sailed. Victor Nyauchi is coming on as second-change and is so well wrapped up that when he takes off his jumper he manages to get his shirt tangled up in it too so stands in his vest for a while, smiling as he extricates the shirt and puts it back on. Right-arm, medium fast I'd say rather than t'other way round. Duckett has a look for a ball then smashes a back of a length delivery with his back-foot punch through cover for four. A clumpy, scuffed cut earns him a single and Crawley uses the inswing to work two through midwicket to raise his first half-century since the first innings of the first Multan Test last winter, 11 innings ago. Zak Crawley reaches his 17th Test half-century 👏 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 The openers pick off Muzarabani for three singles and a pair of deuces, bringing up their third century stand in the process, their first since the Ireland Test of 2023. It's fair to say that England – having rattled up a century opening stand against inaccurate bowling on a flat pitch – stand a good chance of batting for 40 overs. Amazing but all too true: in their previous 13 Test innings England have been bowled out in fewer than 40 overs four times. That sort of statistic belongs to batting in the nineteenth century. This image, and reality, of brittleness need to be banished. After Duckett whisks a single off his ankles, Ngarava comes round the wicket to Crawley and serves up a pat-a-cake short ball on the right-hander's midriff and he pulls it fine for four, pirouetting smoothly on his right toes. At the end of the over he tries the bait of a siren call, a wide, floaty, full one, inviting a big drive. Crawley does have a big whoosh at it but plays and misses. Muzarabani returns and this time from the end the old Trent Bridge lags say will benefit him most. No loosener from the Royal Challengers Bangalore-bound paceman, beating Crawley with one that nibbles past his outside edge as he fenced at it. Cover stops a crashing drive and the pick of Zimbabwe's bowlers, the leader of the attack, resumes with his second maiden. Can Richie back Blessing up now they're at the right ends? Ngarava strangles a leg-before appeal after pinning Duckett just above his boots as he knew it was angling down the legside from over the wicket. Some shape for the left-armer… it's the line that's the problem. Mis-step from Duckett when a delivery from Chivanga sticks in the pitch and he is late on it, chipping it just short of mid-off. The next ball is shorter and he throws his bat at it, edging it deliberately over the slips for four to bring up a 14th Test 50. Not an uppercut, more a slash. Third Test innings at Trent Bridge, third Test fifty at Trent Bridge 👏@BenDuckett1 | @IGcom — England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 22, 2025 Duckett crashes an on-drive with a bit too much inner-half of the blade between bowler, Ngarava, and mid-on for four. The next ball from the left-armer tucks Duckett up a little but he manages to squirt it off a thick edge for a single and then Crawley gives us another chance to swoon at his cover drive, drilling it for four. It all feels a little low-key – but England are advancing at well over 5 an over. Simon Wilde, of The Times, has a book out in July on Gilbert Jessop's record for the fastest England century, 76 balls against Australia in 1902. He might have cause to fear that the book will be out of date before publication date: Ben Duckett continues to advance at over a-run-a-ball. The biggest threat to Jessop's record, though, could come from Harry Brook or Ben Stokes later. Oh, Tim. The first rule of beating Gilbert Jessop is not mentioning Gilbert Jessop until it's done… Eoin Morgan confirms Stuart Broad's assertion that it takes an hour for the lacquer to come off a Dukes ball and hence for it to reach optimal swingability, a phrase I reckon has not been deployed since the heyday of Jason King. Chivanga is definitely shaping it more than any of his colleagues but he can't harness it to a consistent line and they take him for three singles with drives, a no-ball adds another run and then Crawley nails a cover drive between extra and mid-off for four. Nope. No swing and Crawley climbs into a drive that should have been stopped by Ben Curran at short extra but he misjudged the bounce and as he put his hands out it went over his wrists, through his arms and away for four. Time for drinks, and a chance for a Zimbabwe rethink. Anorak weather in the crowd. Chivanga finds more consistency and almost Crawley's wicket with a ripper that shapes away and then nibbles back in to beat Crawley on the inside edge and the keeper's left hand. They run a bye to go with a trio of singles. Chivanga is the only one who has swung it so far but that may changes as Ngarava is going to switch ends and will have the breeze in his favour. Change of tack from Ervine and Muzarabani, switching to a fifth-stump line with a ring in the offside to back him up. After four deliveries making Crawley reach or leave, he angles one in and strikes the Kent opener above the back knee but outside off stump. The last ball is sprayed down the legside and Crawley misses out on his attempted tickle. Tanaka Chivanga is the first change and the breeze is perfect for the right-arm seamer, swinging it in to Duckett who, after defending the first mimes swing by curving his arm to his partner. But the next two, while swinging, start too straight and Duckett whips them off his pads for a pair of fours. Chivanga tries the yorker and Duckett chisels that one out diligently so the bowler tries to surprise him with a short one but again on middle and leg. Duckett pokes it fine off his glove and handle for four more. Three decent deliveries, three pies which has been the ratio of the day so far for the Zimmers. Elegant cover drive from Crawley, smeared on the up for four off Muzarabani. Change of ends might help. Or change of bowler… Good idea by Craig Ervine to post a short extracover for Ben Duckett but Zimbabwe's opening bowlers can't bowl more than two or three balls in the right place so no pressure. Blessing Muzarabani is bowling both sides of the wicket to Ben Duckett. Maybe a couple of overs for Sikander Raza, the sort of mystery spinner who has modelled himself on Sunil Narine? It's quite the thankless task for Crawley today. Make runs and it will be 'only Zimbabwe'. Fail to make a decent knock and it's 'Disgrace'. Perhaps that's the bind Messrs Stokes and McCullum have put him in by sticking by him so long but we should recall how well he played during the Ashes, how valuable he could be on Australian pitches with his height and timing and that his injury last summer knocked him off course. They pinch a single when Crawley's defensive squirts through the infield, Duckett on-drives for another, Crawley plays tip and run for a third and Duckett ends the over with a withering pull for four. After that vintage Crawley drive, Duckett plays his most fluent shot of the morning with a glorious off drive when Muzarabani goes full from round the wicket. The quick then goes shorter and strays on to middle and leg so Duckett cuffs it behind square for four to overtake his partner. The second boundary acted like a dose of smelling salts for Muzarabani and he responds with a jaffa that angles in from round the wicket, leaps up and rears away from Duckett's edge. Duckett ends the over muttering and shaking his head after missing out on an invitation to cut as he chops it into the ground. Zimbabwe have a short cover in for Crawley and he stops one chunky drive but when Ngarava errs wider outside off stump it gives the opener the chance of driving it much squarer and it races away for four. Shot! There's at least a foot difference in height between Blessing Muzarabani and Ben Duckett. Joel Garner probably bowled to some little fellas but I can't remember too many bigger or more glaring height differences than that. They are both former Northants men (Nick Hoult is glowing with pride) but didn't quite play together I don't think. Crawley drives uppishly and Muzarabani, who has the wingspan of a Pterodactyl dives to his left but doesn't manage to reach it. Crawley used his hands more than his feet and didn't get to the pitch which made him spoon it. But maybe it's his day and he runs two. Earlier in the over Blessing went round the wicket to Duckett for the first time but sprayed it on to his pads, giving the left-hander an easy flick round the corner for a single. Very loose shot from Duckett, flashing and missing at a cut stroke when Ngarava starts with a back of a length delivery. The left-hander gets off strike with bottom-hand shovel through midwicket and Crawley check-drives the left-armer for two through cover. Ngarava tries the yorker that dips alarmingly but sufficiently wide enough for Crawley just to leave it alone. Nice pull from Crawley, a 6ft 6in batsman playing a 6ft 8in batsman negates some of the height advantage and he is comfortably on to it, on top of it and hammers it through square leg for four. Muzarabani ends the over well with one that angles in and straightens a touch to beat the maker's name of Crawley's GN as he pushed forward. Impressive movement from Blessing so far, good control, the rather flaccid bouncer notwithstanding. Ngarava 's radar is calibrated now and he finds a much more nagging length to Duckett and it earns him a maiden. Broad says he's bowling at the wrong end given the breeze and would be more effective from the Radcliffe Road End. As Stuart Broad says, Muzarabani is lively but his natural length is short. So when he does pitch it up, even at 84mph it looks a bit floaty and Crawley has the time to whisk it wristily through midwicket for three. The straw-coloured outfield isn't slick and a stroke that would go for four in midsummer dribbles short of the rope. Seeing the Curran brothers (Sam and Tom) interviewed before play and their brother Ben appearing for Zimbabwe today brings back memories of their late father Kevin, who did not live long enough to see his sons develop into professional cricketers. I knew Kevin when I worked for the local paper in Northampton and he was playing for Northants. He was a hard hitting allrounder, and an even harder bloke, chiselled out of the unforgiving world of Zimbabwean cricket of the late 70s, early 80s. He was ahead of his time in terms of fitness and demanded high standards from his team-mates. 'Kevin always believed he could do better than anyone else. That's what made him. He was a positive guy,' said Allan Lamb, his Northants team-mate. Curran collapsed and died while out for a run in 2012. Completely off point… but I had that bat. Left-arm quick Richard 'Richie' Ngarava has first dibs on the new ball. Three slips and a gully for the right-handed Crawley. He is an over the wicket merchant and starts with a couple, back of a length, targeting the ribs. Crawley gets off the mark from the second, tucking it round the corner off his hip for a single. Ngarava goes fuller for the left-handed Duckett, who defends punchily and is rewarded next ball with a pie, short outside off stump and he slaps it cross-batted for four, not so much a cut as a baseball club. The next two balls are much better, shaping in and moving away. The second of them beats Duckett's edge but the ball prior hit him on the back thighpad, in line but too high. Next up Blessing Muzarabani, the 6ft 8in quick. Out come the openers. It's taters in Nottingham and SCJ Broad says it's too fresh o swing too much. And if anyone should know about Trent Bridge overheads, it's him (and Dick Hadlee). The Northants batsman opens the batting for Zimbabwe. 'He's ended up at the same destination but by a different path. There's a lot of emotions, it's been a amazing ride,' says oldes brother Tom. The weather forecaster on TMS tells us that it could rain all day on Saturday! That's no good, given we only have four days to get a result. I am really hoping the game doesn't finish very late on day four, because Forest are playing Chelsea at 4pm in a very significant game just over the road. The train home to London that evening could be interesting... Scyld has Trent Bridge in his top 10cricket grounds and hard to disagree but it does look a little bit different this week with the pavilion shrouded in canvas and scaffolding. The club are upgrading facilities for players and officials, adding a new gym, unisex dressing rooms, hospitality and changing areas to meet ECB criteria in order to retain Test status. There is a lot of competition to host Test cricket and Trent Bridge is the most northerly ground holding an Ashes Test in 2027; not Old Trafford or Headingley, two of the most famous grounds in the world. Despite its history and attractiveness, the pavilion has 'long failed' ECB standards by lacking wheelchair access and the space for expanding cricket staffs and medical facilities which have grown since the days of Larwood and Voce pulling on their boots and stubbing out a fag on the way to the middle. Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine (capt), Sean Williams, Sikander Raza, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga, Victor Nyauchi. Fpur frontline seamers and the spin of all-rounder Raza in the XI. It has been a long time [out]. It's not affected me too much as our last Test match was in December. It's been four or five months of rehab and I'm looking forward to getting out there. We would have had a bowl as well because of the overheads but Trent Bridge is a good place to bat. And have put England in to bat. Greetings from Trent Bridge! The outfield looks very parched and the pitch looks pale (a couple of days ago it had a greener tinge), but there's a real chill in the air. and the clouds are quite low. The place doesn't look quite right, with the Pavilion undergoing a major refurb. England's slip fielders have been doing their catching practice in front of the press box. Zak Crawley has been stationed at gully, which is new. Until he broke his hand last year, he was a solid second slipper. I have a working theory that he lost a bit of his confidence when he was moved out of the cordon, and didn't bat as well. Maybe I am meeting him more than halfway there, given his record... Henry Olonga recites the lyrics of a song he recorded when he was a Zimbabwean cricketer at the height of his career in the early 2000s and before he was exiled from his country. Our Zimbabwe is a patriotic, idealistic ballad, a love song to his country. It was released at a time of political violence in 2001 as the thuggish Robert Mugabe regime promoted land grabs and farm invasions. 'One of the lines goes: 'Though I may go to distant borders, My soul will yearn for this my home, For time and space may separate us, And yet she holds my heart alone.' And then another is: 'As we all stand to build our nation, This our land, our Zimbabwe'.' Olonga pauses. 'Literally some of the words in that song… they speak of where my life is now but when I listen to the song again it's somewhat triggering.' Two years after releasing the song he and Andy Flower wore black armbands during the 2003 World Cup to protest at the 'death of democracy' in their country. Olonga received death threats, was thrown off the team bus and forced to flee Zimbabwe. He has never been back. He has not seen his father, who is now in his mid-80s and still lives in Bulawayo, for more than 20 years. They've gone from Tetley Bitter to Vodafone, Brit Insurance, Waitrose, NatWest to Cinch and now Toyota. England's batsmen have been put on notice for Thursday's Test against Zimbabwe after Ben Stokes all but confirmed that Jacob Bethell will come straight back in against India next month. Ollie Pope and the inconsistent opener Zak Crawley will therefore start the summer under immense pressure. Bethell emerged from left field to play all three Tests on the tour of New Zealand in December. Despite not having a first-class century or ever batting in the top order for his county, Warwickshire, he averaged 52 at No 3, including making a second-innings half-century in all three matches. Sam Cook has been presented with his England Test cap by none other than Stuart Broad. If anyone knows how to bowl on a fresh cloudy morning in late May at Trent Bridge… No Test ground in England has such demotic origins as Trent Bridge, the product of professional cricketers like William Clarke, who moved into the Trent Bridge Inn after marrying the landlady, Frank Parr whose famous tree has now gone, William Gunn, who made cricket bats with his mate Moore, and Arthur Shrewsbury who captained England more than anyone before amateurs took over. Cricket in Nottingham remains the game of the people. To see where it ranks and his other nine, click here. A four-day Test is a euphemism, a polite way of saying the opposition is not good enough. They can't win but if they have luck with the weather they might sneak a draw. On behalf of all concerned I hope Zimbabwe get into this match, at least a foothold, as Ireland did in their two four-day Tests against England at Lord's in 2019 and 2023. Tim Murtagh ran through England on the opening day, and Mark Adair and Andy McBrine swashbuckled a stand of 163 to avert an innings defeat. Zimbabwe's best chance of gaining a foothold today might well lie in bowling this morning. In the last few weeks of cloudless skies we may have forgotten the word 'overheads' but they exist over Trent Bridge before the toss and start. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Sam Cook, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir. Good morning and welcome to the first morning of a seven-Test English summer which begins at Trent Bridge with an amuse bouche of a first Test against Zimbabwe for 22 years, followed by the hors d'oeuvre of the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia at Lord's and the entrée of five matches against India. For England it's not exactly a fresh start after a strange winter in which they lost 2-1 on Pakistan, mugged on raging bunsens after that 454-run stand between Joe Root and Harry Brook spooked the hosts into baking and raking the pitches to stave off another administrative purge…at least for a month or went on to beat New Zealand 2-1 but lost their captain, Ben Stokes, to his second hamstring tear of the year, and lost an enormous amount of good will since the 2023 Ashes because of some deluded statements before and after defeats in India when the closeness of the matches at points during their span bred hubris. And you don't need a Greek to tell you what the gods do to those with excessive pride. Not to mention becoming great golf bores of they are on a mission to win back hearts and minds and that should not be too difficult. We have to remember the very low esteem in which they were held after the crushing defeat in the 2021-22 Ashes series and how transformational Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have been, liberating some talented players and reigniting fire in the veterans to scale new heights and consistently play the most entertaining cricket of a lifetime. Zimbabwe, who have played only 26 Tests in a decade and won only three of them as they try to re-establish themselves after the long Mugabe nightmare, have some talented players – notably Blessing Muzarabani, Sikander Raza and the redoubtable Sean Williams – but should not detain England long in Nottingham in May with Sam Cook champing at the bit to press his credentials as the new Matthew Hoggard and Gus Atkinson hoping to pick up where he left off. Doubtless England will win but how they win may be just as important, runs in particular for Zak Crawley, who has become the avatar of 'Bazball', would help the cause.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
World-class Ben Duckett is the reason Zak Crawley will not be dropped
In compiling his first Test hundred on his adopted home ground, Ben Duckett could only have looked more comfortable if he was ambling around in his slippers. The pitch was flat, the outfield parched, and the Zimbabwe attack desperately modest. In the stands, Duckett was watched by his partner and 10-month-old daughter, and a host of young men milled about in the England opener's nattily named brand of hats, 'Duckett's Buckets'. This was child's play for a man who is surely now the best all-format opener in the world game (at least until Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks into India's ODI team, as seems inevitable). This was about as gentle as batting in the top order comes in this country, and every Englishman who got the chance rightly helped himself to a hundred. It was worlds away from the challenges of Jasprit Bumrah or Pat Cummins, which lie in wait later this year. But you can only play what is in front of you, and it was Duckett who set the tone and was most commanding. Ben Duckett hits the first boundary of the Test summer for England 🏴 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 Duckett is now among England's most important players, given the issues they have had with the opening position since Andrew Strauss and, at 30, is now a senior player across the formats. It is difficult to see them succeeding against India and Australia this year if he has a quiet time at the top of the order. It is a measure of his quality that 2024 was actually a slightly wasteful year for Duckett. He averaged 36.4 last summer, and 37.1 across 17 Tests in the year, as opposed to 41.6 overall, and 45.1 in the Bazball era. The two hundreds he did reach, in Rajkot and Multan, were brilliant, but both came in defeats. Deeply frustratingly, he fell five times between 70 and 100, when three figures were begging. There was an insouciance and lack of ruthlessness that cost him. Here, there were a couple of signs that he means business this year. He left the ball twice to the seamers. In the third over of this match, he did something he did not do at all last summer: pat back an entire maiden, to Richard Ngarava, who later went off with a nasty side injury, making England's task even more simple. He ticked along at almost exactly a run a ball, but barely seemed to be taking a risk. What a start to the summer for Ben Duckett 🤩Five Test match hundreds and counting for the opener 🏴 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 22, 2025 The beauty of Duckett's method is that it remains constant whatever the format. In that respect, he is rather like a pint-sized Marcus Trescothick, another brilliant opener with limited foot movement and an attacking mindset. Trescothick is England's batting coach now, and his influence on Duckett is clear. They are also similar statistically. This is Duckett's 33rd Test; at the same stage Trescothick had 2,315 runs at 40.6. Duckett has 2,410 at 41.5. England's leaders have done a lot of talking this week. When Brendon McCullum, the head coach, spoke about his players needing to be smarter and more humble with their public pronouncement, he might as well have been speaking directly to Duckett, a prime purveyor of what has come to be known as 'Bazb------s'. But when Ben Stokes spoke about the squeeze created by the return of Jacob Bethell against India, Duckett was not in the conversation at all. His position is as safe as just about anyone in the side, which is exactly why he should enter the debate. England need to do what suits him, and that is retaining Zak Crawley. Duckett and Crawley's little and large act is key to the former's success. Zimbabwe were especially generous, but their differences in height and handedness force bowlers to make errors. Here, their stand of 231 was two runs shy of their highest –which was in their very first innings together – and England's highest opening stand at home since 1960. As a pair, there are now only eight English opening partnerships more prolific than them after they surpassed Sir Geoffrey Boycott and Graham Gooch at Trent Bridge. Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart are only eight runs away, too. If England were to drop Crawley, Bethell would have to open. He looks capable of that, but, as another short left-hander, England would be robbed of the variety that has served this pair well.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
England start Charlotte Edwards reign by exacting revenge on West Indies
England ushered in the start of the Charlotte Edwards era by banishing a few World Cup demons against the West Indies. At the T20 World Cup in the autumn, England were knocked out by the West Indies in the group stage, dropping five catches in the process. The pressure between a global event and a bilateral T20 match at Canterbury cannot be directly compared, but the hosts eased to the first victory under Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt by eight wickets. Admittedly, it was the two best players from the T20 series in Australia, former captain Heather Knight (43) and Sophia Dunkley (77) , who steered England to victory with more than three overs to spare. A GLORIOUS shot from Sophia Dunkley 🔥 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 21, 2025 It is a different country and different conditions, but when they elected to bowl at the start of the match, England looked a different outfit to the one who capitulated Down Under. Sciver-Brunt completed a ridiculous run-out that showed all of Realeanna Grimmond's inexperience. The West Indies batter had made her ground, then wandered out as the new England captain took a throw over the non-striker's end and whipped the bails off. England have their third wicket 🏴Realeanna Grimmond wanders out of her crease after running a single. — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 21, 2025 'It was great to start off with a win tonight to start the summer off,' Dunkley said after the match. 'It's been really exciting [working with Edwards]. I know what she wants me to do, just to hit straight and take the game on. Just keep it really simple and that's what I tried to do tonight.' Lauren Bell took a fantastic catch, and the only chance that was not taken was objectively a difficult effort with one hand. WHAT A CATCH FROM LAUREN BELL! 😱 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 21, 2025 There were two run-outs and five catches as the West Indies put on 146 for seven from their 20 overs, although their standout player, Hayley Matthews, struck a stunning century. England had no answer to Matthews, but the new and returned bowling attack of Linsey Smith, Charlie Dean, Issy Wong, debutant Emily Arlott and Bell managed to strike at the other end and prevent the total rising. Edwards had said in the pre-match press conference that the side had been working on their fielding, and it was clear to see that something had changed from Melbourne just a few months ago, when eight catches were put down in a single day of Test cricket, as England lost by an innings to seal a whitewash 16-0 defeat. It would be too much to look at one game and suggest that all of England's problems have been solved, especially against a below-strength West Indies side, but it is clear that the tide has at least started to turn.
