Zimbabwe’s first Test on English soil in 22 years quickly turned sour as England’s top order ran riot, piling up 498/3 on Day 1 at Lord’s. Ben Duckett (140), Zak Crawley (124), and Ollie Pope (169*) all smashed centuries, leaving the visitors chasing shadows.
Duckett’s blistering start and Pope’s late-day assault sandwiched Crawley’s steady knock, as Zimbabwe’s decision to bowl first backfired. The trio’s onslaught featured fearless strokeplay and relentless scoring, highlighted by Pope’s unique eighth Test ton—each against a different nation.
With Joe Root joining the party to cross 13,000 Test runs, England dominated the day, falling just two runs short of 500 by stumps.
📝 Brief Score: England 498/3 (Pope 169*, Duckett 140, Crawley 124) vs Zimbabwe