0
W
0
0
0
0
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Match Details
ENG vs ZIM Only TEST, ZIM vs ENG 2025
ZIM 265(63.2)
255-1059.0
England won by an innings and 45 runs š
565-6(96.3)
ENG
+
P'ship : 0(0)
Commentary
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Highlights
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Milestone
A comprehensive victory for England in this four-day Test. Ben Stokes collects the trophy š and joins his teammates for the photographs. We hope you enjoyed our coverage. For now, it's me, Deepak Prakash, signing off on behalf of my colleagues - Ninaad Dixit, Darpan Tikiya, and Ghanendra Singh Thakur. CHEERS!
Ben Stokes (England Captain): "It was good to get the summer off to winning ways. A slow start for us but we were great from the last session onwards.
[On Crawley's innings] You walk out there and play for England, you know every game is important. The context of Jacob Bethell was me saying that he's going to come back in the squad. For Zak and Pope and Duckett to go out there. The way we wanted to enforce ourselves on the game. When Zak and Ben get going like that, they're very hard to bowl for. Sometimes as a number 3 when you sit there with your pads on for such a long time, I don't know what it feels but for Pope to go there and continue that momentum and play that way was exceptional and Pope is a massive part of the team. He's my vice-captain. He's in a really responsible leadership role. He's been incredible for this team at number 3 since we game him the responsibility.
Everyone who has come under the microscope from the outside has done pretty well. We've got a nice gap between the India series. Let's just appreciate the knocks from the three. They were all fantastic.
[On playing himself for the Lions] No everything feels good with the bat. It was just good to get out there and mark center again. A long time away from the game, I had the Lions game sort of something filtering in the background that I felt like I needed anymore game time. But it was more to do with the bowling but today I felt really good compared to yesterday with the ball so really pleased to be able to get some overs under the belt. The rhythm and everything felt great today. Rest for me is just as important as ever because we have big 10 Tests coming up. The big 5 again start with India.
[Injury playing on his mind] It will still take time. It's a pretty traumatic thing for the body to go through having a surgery. I've worked hard here to be able to do what I did this week so massive confidence boost. We have 2-3 weeks of break that we've got before we meet up again and work just as hard as I have done.
[On Shoaib Bashir] Sometimes we can take the words for granted that we fill Bash up with in terms of the positivity and backing him. Being a 20-year old, the way he came out and asserted himself into the game with the ball in the 1st innings was exceptional and he continued that here. He knows he's got the backing of the dressing room, of myself and on a wicket that wasn't really offering that much towards spin, to walk off with 9-fer is just exceptional. Going strength-to-strength. He is learning obviously getting to bowl at some of the best batters in the world on a daily basis. Working with Jeetan Patel, everything is going upwards for him. Super excited that he has walked off here with a man of the match.
We were a little bit slow to get into the game with the ball but that can be understandable. It's been a long time since we've been together and getting used to the rhythm of Test cricket can sometimes sort of take it's time. After the 1st session we were very good from then. It's a different intensity when you get out there compared to whatever the guys have done beforehand. Happy how we finished the game off with the ball."
[On Crawley's innings] You walk out there and play for England, you know every game is important. The context of Jacob Bethell was me saying that he's going to come back in the squad. For Zak and Pope and Duckett to go out there. The way we wanted to enforce ourselves on the game. When Zak and Ben get going like that, they're very hard to bowl for. Sometimes as a number 3 when you sit there with your pads on for such a long time, I don't know what it feels but for Pope to go there and continue that momentum and play that way was exceptional and Pope is a massive part of the team. He's my vice-captain. He's in a really responsible leadership role. He's been incredible for this team at number 3 since we game him the responsibility.
Everyone who has come under the microscope from the outside has done pretty well. We've got a nice gap between the India series. Let's just appreciate the knocks from the three. They were all fantastic.
[On playing himself for the Lions] No everything feels good with the bat. It was just good to get out there and mark center again. A long time away from the game, I had the Lions game sort of something filtering in the background that I felt like I needed anymore game time. But it was more to do with the bowling but today I felt really good compared to yesterday with the ball so really pleased to be able to get some overs under the belt. The rhythm and everything felt great today. Rest for me is just as important as ever because we have big 10 Tests coming up. The big 5 again start with India.
[Injury playing on his mind] It will still take time. It's a pretty traumatic thing for the body to go through having a surgery. I've worked hard here to be able to do what I did this week so massive confidence boost. We have 2-3 weeks of break that we've got before we meet up again and work just as hard as I have done.
[On Shoaib Bashir] Sometimes we can take the words for granted that we fill Bash up with in terms of the positivity and backing him. Being a 20-year old, the way he came out and asserted himself into the game with the ball in the 1st innings was exceptional and he continued that here. He knows he's got the backing of the dressing room, of myself and on a wicket that wasn't really offering that much towards spin, to walk off with 9-fer is just exceptional. Going strength-to-strength. He is learning obviously getting to bowl at some of the best batters in the world on a daily basis. Working with Jeetan Patel, everything is going upwards for him. Super excited that he has walked off here with a man of the match.
We were a little bit slow to get into the game with the ball but that can be understandable. It's been a long time since we've been together and getting used to the rhythm of Test cricket can sometimes sort of take it's time. After the 1st session we were very good from then. It's a different intensity when you get out there compared to whatever the guys have done beforehand. Happy how we finished the game off with the ball."
Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe Captain): "I think our fans are like no other. A huge thank you to them for the incredible support we've received, especially over the last couple of days.
The occasion was obviously a massive one for us, and I thought the guys stuck to their guns really well on that first day, even though things didnāt quite go our way. But the way they bounced back was impressive.
With the bat, Brian Bennett played an unbelievable innings, and then again today, Sean Williams and Raza showed real quality. So overall, I think the team can be pretty proud of themselves.
I think there were maybe a few nerves early on, and the guys just werenāt as consistent as they usually are. But in that short session we fielded on day two, I thought the improvement was clear ā once we hit the right areas, there were rewards. So thatās definitely something weāll look to work on moving forward ā trying to find a bit more consistency in those key areas.
I think it was possibly a bit of both, but given the overhead conditions, we felt we could really make use of the new ball and pick up a few early wickets. And again, it could have gone the other way. Had we managed to keep the ball in the right areas for a bit longer, we might have been rewarded more ā but unfortunately, that wasnāt the case on this occasion.
[On Bennett's knock] Itās very special to have his family and brother here watching. Iām sure theyāll all remember this moment for a long time. It probably hasnāt fully sunk in for him yet, but hopefully heāll get to celebrate it over the next few days.
Weāve got a few youngstersāBennett and Madhevereāand the future looks bright for Zimbabwe. Hopefully, weāll be back soon. Every Zimbabwean here was part of this special occasion, and it definitely wonāt be another 21 years before the next time."
The occasion was obviously a massive one for us, and I thought the guys stuck to their guns really well on that first day, even though things didnāt quite go our way. But the way they bounced back was impressive.
With the bat, Brian Bennett played an unbelievable innings, and then again today, Sean Williams and Raza showed real quality. So overall, I think the team can be pretty proud of themselves.
I think there were maybe a few nerves early on, and the guys just werenāt as consistent as they usually are. But in that short session we fielded on day two, I thought the improvement was clear ā once we hit the right areas, there were rewards. So thatās definitely something weāll look to work on moving forward ā trying to find a bit more consistency in those key areas.
I think it was possibly a bit of both, but given the overhead conditions, we felt we could really make use of the new ball and pick up a few early wickets. And again, it could have gone the other way. Had we managed to keep the ball in the right areas for a bit longer, we might have been rewarded more ā but unfortunately, that wasnāt the case on this occasion.
[On Bennett's knock] Itās very special to have his family and brother here watching. Iām sure theyāll all remember this moment for a long time. It probably hasnāt fully sunk in for him yet, but hopefully heāll get to celebrate it over the next few days.
Weāve got a few youngstersāBennett and Madhevereāand the future looks bright for Zimbabwe. Hopefully, weāll be back soon. Every Zimbabwean here was part of this special occasion, and it definitely wonāt be another 21 years before the next time."
Shoaib Bashir (Player of the Match): "It's a nice ground especially when it's spinning. Nice to get a win. It's just nice to bowl. I felt really good out there. It was a clinical performance from the boys.
I started the year when I went on loan to Glamorgan. Just to get some overs. But it's nice to join the group here. We had a camp in Loughborough so it was good bowling there. Just nice to get out here in front of the English crowd. Can't get better than that.
The boys and the backroom staff just makes you feel comfortable and when you're so well back there you can just go out there and express yourself. With the likes of Crawley, Pope and Duckett, the way they played their innings. You just feel 10 foot tall and makes you feel at ease as soon as you go in.
[On the gap between the next Tests] Plenty of training. The [T20] Blast starts soon. A week off and then getting back straight to it."
I started the year when I went on loan to Glamorgan. Just to get some overs. But it's nice to join the group here. We had a camp in Loughborough so it was good bowling there. Just nice to get out here in front of the English crowd. Can't get better than that.
The boys and the backroom staff just makes you feel comfortable and when you're so well back there you can just go out there and express yourself. With the likes of Crawley, Pope and Duckett, the way they played their innings. You just feel 10 foot tall and makes you feel at ease as soon as you go in.
[On the gap between the next Tests] Plenty of training. The [T20] Blast starts soon. A week off and then getting back straight to it."
Player of the Match: Shoaib Bashir
The Zimbabwe players take a lap of Trent Bridge to acknowledge the crowd. There was plenty of support for the visiting side. The vibrant fans are still enjoying themselves supporting the Chevrons despite the negative result.
Best Match Figures for Shoaib Bashir:
9/143 v Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, THIS MATCH*
8/198 v India at Ranchi, 2024
7/149 v West Indies at Trent Bridge, 2024
9/143 v Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, THIS MATCH*
8/198 v India at Ranchi, 2024
7/149 v West Indies at Trent Bridge, 2024
Best Innings Figures for Shoaib Bashir:
6/81 v Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, THIS MATCH*
5/41 v West Indies at Trent Bridge, 2024
5/119 v India at Ranchi, 2024
6/81 v Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, THIS MATCH*
5/41 v West Indies at Trent Bridge, 2024
5/119 v India at Ranchi, 2024
Commentary