Summary

  • England openers put on 100 for first wicket

  • Essex bowler Cook making England debut

  • Zimbabwe win toss, One-off Test, Trent Bridge

  • Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary at top of page, or overseas here

Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby

  1. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Loving listening to the first Test of the summer whilst preparing a Sunday sermon! Much needed focus but at the risk of including some interesting content into the message.

    Tom in Bristol

    Greetings from the RNLI Padstow Lifeguards on the North Cornwall coast. Brilliant to hear TMS back on the airwaves for the summer. No better soundtrack to keep us going throughout the season.

    RNLI Padstow

  2. There's been plenty of talk of cricketing siblings today, with Sam and Tom Curran in the crowd watching brother Ben turn out for Zimbabwe.

    Mike, sat to my left, is very proud of the sibling quiz he created, so do give it a go. You can play it here.

    Sam, Tom, and Ben CurranGetty Images

  3. We've had Ben Duckett's highlights reel, so now it's time for Zak Crawley.

    He had a little bit of a lifeline early on, when a diving Blessing Muzarabani couldn't quite get his fingertips to the ball, but has otherwise looked good for his 53 runs.

    Crawley's 'wonderful' half-century knock puts England in control

  4. I don't think that's sad at all, Will.

    I had a pair of lucky green socks that I wore for every match I played in at university. Unfortunately, the scorecards tell a different story about how lucky they were...

  5. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    I’m wearing my cricket-themed socks to mark the first day of the Test summer and was told that was a bit sad by my wife. Can’t think why?

    Will, Newcastle

  6. Ben Duckett scored the first half-century of England's Test summer.

    Here's a reminder of how he got there.

    Duckett hits 'tremendous' half-century to get England innings off to 'bright start'

  7. Thanks Matt. Hello everyone - hope you're all enjoying the first day of the Test summer?

    I've already had my sandwich and been for a trot around the block so I'm ready and raring to go.

  8. I'm going to go out on a limb and say all of England's batting sessions this year will not be so straightforward.

    I'm off to find a sandwich. Elizabeth Botcherby will take you through lunch and beyond.

  9. 'A very satisfactory start'

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Duckett's back foot shot goes through extra cover for four

    Ben Duckett has his own method and he trusts it.

    Duckett and Zak Crawley, by their standards, have been very measured. I think Crawley recognises that his life would be simpler if he got a big score.

    It is a very satisfactory start for England.

  10. Lunch - Eng 130-0

    Crawley 53, Duckett 75

    And Zak Crawley wisely leaves the final ball before lunch alone.

    Crawley and Ben Duckett have been dominant, scoring at five runs per over.

    It has been an ideal start to the summer for England's opening pair.

  11. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Zak Crawley was playing it across his left pad.

    It is tempting to go for the review, but it did swing too much.

  12. Eng 130-0

    Big appeal with three balls to go in the session!

    That's the biggest scare all day for Zak Crawley.

    The umpire says no and Zimbabwe decide against reviewing the lbw shout. It was probably missing leg.

  13. Eng 129-0

    Speaking of misfields, Ben Curran makes up for his earlier error with some excellent fielding to deny Ben Duckett another four on the cut.

    Sam Curran is grinning now, much happier with what he sees from his older brother.

    There'll be one more over before lunch with both of these two having reached 50...

    Crawley reaches half-century mark to give England strong start to innings

  14. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Blessing Muzarabani has been the most dangerous bowler, as we anticipated.

    You can understand why he has taken a lot of wickets.

    Blessing MuzarabaniGetty Images

  15. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    My prediction: 320 to 350 by tea and then 450 to 480 at the close. If they make that, then really open up and 600 late tomorrow morning before declaring.

    Andrew in London

  16. Eng 125-0

    Crawley 52, Duckett 71

    Argh.

    It is a special occasion for Zimbabwe but some of the cricket has not been the best. This time two players misfield diving after the same delivery.

    It might be that the initial parry has wrong-footed Sikandar Raza but it looks scruffy. Four more to Duckett.

  17. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    England's Ben Duckett (L) and England's Zak Crawley (R) have a discussionGetty Images

    The Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan in 2022 - when England scored 506-4 on day one - was the first time Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley opened together.

    England were 174-0 off 27 overs at lunch.

  18. Eng 117-0

    Crawley 51, Duckett 64

    Careful, Zak. Having seen Ben Duckett cut another four, he plays one of those loose drives to Blessing Muzarabani.

    Big Blessing has been the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers and tempted the shot by finding the right length there.

  19. How's stat?!

    Rufus Bullough
    CricViz analyst

    Since McCullum took over, England’s opening partnership has put on 100 on five occasions. Today’s opening stand took 20.2 overs to reach 100, which is the slowest of the five. The fastest came against Pakistan in Dec 2022 where this pair scored their hundred from just 13.4 overs at Rawalpindi

  20. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    Since Zak Crawley's 189 at Old Trafford in the 2023 Ashes he has reached 70 six times but has not reached 80.