SCORECARDCOMMENTARY
LIVE
Test
Stumps
Day: 2, Session: 3
ZIM trail by 270 runs
ENG
565-6
265-10 &
30/2
ZIM
Zimbabwe in England, One-off Test, 2025 |One-off Test |5/22/2025
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
| BATSMAN | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Curran | 4 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 15.38 |
| Sean Williams * | 22 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 200.00 |
| BOWLERS | O | M | R | W | ECON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Tongue * | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 11.00 |
| Shoaib Bashir | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.00 |
Commentary
- Asked to follow on with around 45 minutes left before close, Zimbabwe’s second innings got off to a poor start. Centurion Brian Bennett fell cheaply, followed quickly by Craig Ervine, leaving the tourists 270 runs behind and likely with just 7 wickets in hand given Ngarava's situation. The English bowlers will be raring to go on Day 3 after a good night's rest. The hard new ball’s variable bounce posed a real challenge late in the day and promises to test the Zimbabwean batters. The first ball on Day 3 will be bowled at 10 am GMT, but you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!
- In a blessing in disguise, Bashir's fingertip injury while attempting a catch brought Ben Stokes into the attack and he made an immediate impact with a couple of quick scalps. While wickets continued to tumble at the other end, Bennett held firm until eventually succumbing to England's short-ball tactic. The tail didn’t offer much resistance, and with Richard Ngarava unable to bat due to a back issue, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 265, conceding a hefty 300-run lead.
- In response, Zimbabwe suffered an early blow with Ben Curran falling cheaply but Brian Bennett wasn’t fazed by the early setback. Displaying positive intent and composure, he kept the scoreboard ticking with regular boundaries. His partnerships with Craig Ervine and later Sean Williams offered glimpses of promise, but both stands were cut short just as they started to blossom. Bennett had a slice of fortune when Joe Root dropped him on 89, and he made it count by racing to his second Test century off just 97 balls - the fastest ever by a Zimbabwean in Tests.
- End of an eventful day at Trent Bridge! England remain firmly on top, but Zimbabwe showed flickers of resistance with the bat. Despite those brief spells of fight, the visitors still find themselves with their backs against the wall heading into Day 3. Earlier, England resumed their innings at 498 and wasted little time in piling on more runs, stretching the total to 565 before declaring at the end of a brisk fifty from Harry Brook.
- 9.60Josh Tongue to Ben Curran, Length ball on off, Ben Curran gets right behind the line of the ball and defends it back to the bowler. A loud call of 'NO' from the batter and that will be Stumps on Day 2!
- 9.51Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, Good length on middle, Sean Williams flicks it to the left of short mid-wicket for a single.
- 9.44Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, FOUR! Punched through covers. A touch fuller and outside off, Sean Williams stays in his crease and punches it through the extra cover region to pick up a boundary.
- 9.32Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, Back of a length on off, Sean Williams steers it past third slip. The fielder from gully was quick to cut that off and throw it back. Batters had comfortably completed two but Sean Williams wanted the third and he was almost halfway through. Ben Curran makes the right call to send him and the former just about makes it back in time.
- 9.24Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, FOUR! Poor from Josh Tongue and dealt with by Sean Williams! Back of a length, sliding down leg, Sean Williams helps it on its way as he pulls it behind square towards the vacant deep fine leg region for four.
- 9.12Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, Full on middle, Sean Williams drives this one down the ground for two runs.
- END OF OVER 9 | 2 Runs & 0 Wkt | ZIM 17/2
- 8.61Shoaib Bashir to Sean Williams, Shorter on leg, Sean Williams works it into the leg side, to deep mid-wicket for a single.
- 8.50Shoaib Bashir to Sean Williams, Tossed up on middle, Sean Williams drives it back to the bowler.
- 8.41Shoaib Bashir to Ben Curran, Overpitched on off, Ben Curran drives it to mid off and calls for a quick single. Good running.
- 8.30Shoaib Bashir to Ben Curran, Tossed up off break on off stump, Ben Curran leans forward and defends it off the front foot.
- 8.20Shoaib Bashir to Ben Curran, Slower through the air, just outside off, Ben Curran blocks it off the back foot.
- 8.10Shoaib Bashir to Ben Curran, Shorter on off, Ben Curran hangs back and pushes it back to the bowler.
- END OF OVER 8 | 9 Runs & 1 Wkt | ZIM 15/2
- Time for spin late in the day. Shoaib Bashir comes into the attack.
- 7.64Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, FOUR! Clipped away! Full on middle, Sean Williams clips it through the vacant deep mid-wicket region for four.
- 7.50Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, Back of a length that climbs on Sean Williams as he gets surprised by the extra bounce there. He takes one hand off the bat as the ball hits his glove and goes into the ground.
- 7.40Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, Length ball on off Sean Williams knocks it to mid off.
- 7.34Josh Tongue to Sean Williams, FOUR! Sean Williams is up and running! Back of a length on leg, Sean Williams works it off his hips fine of the deep fine leg fielder for four.
- Sean Williams comes out to bat with just under 8 minutes left in the day.
- 7.2WJosh Tongue to Craig Ervine, OUT! CAUGHT! Brilliant from Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes! The field placement has paid off on the very next delivery. They placed Ollie Pope at forward short leg just before this delivery and Craig Ervine manages to find him as he gives an easy catch to Pope. This was a length delivery on middle, Ervine looks to flick it and gets a leading edge that lobs up in the air towards forward short leg who gobbles it up easily.