Bashir strikes as England thrash Zimbabwe by an innings

England hammered Zimbabwe by an innings and 45 runs in a one-off Test at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir took a Test-best 6-81 as Zimbabwe, following-on, were dismissed for 255 on the third day of four in what was the African nation's first Test in England in 22 years.

Bashir's second five-wicket haul at Trent Bridge, following his 5-70 against the West Indies last year, gave him match figures of 9-143.

Sean Williams (88) and Ben Curran fell to Bashir either side of lunch with Sikandar Raza's breezy 60 merely delaying England's win.

England laid the platform for victory in their opening match of their 2025 home season with a commanding first-innings total of 565-6 declared, that saw their top three of Zak Crawley (124), Ben Duckett (140) and Ollie Pope all score hundreds.

Although opener Brian Bennett struck Zimbabwe's fastest Test hundred, off 97 balls, in reply the tourists were still dismissed for 265, with England captain Ben Stokes taking two wickets in his first match in any kind of cricket this year.

Bashir, whose two first-class wickets this season had cost an average of 152 apiece, put some indifferent county form behind him with 3-62 in the first innings.

Stokes's side next face India in a five-match series starting in June.

Zimbabwe return to the Test arena with a two-match series at home to neighbours South Africa in June and July.

Brief scores

England 1st innings 565-6 dec (O Pope 171, B Duckett 140, Z Crawley 124, H Brook 58; B Muzarabani 3-143)

Zimbabwe 1st innings 265 (B Bennett 139; S Bashir 3-62)

Zimbabwe 2nd innings 255 (S Williams 88, S Raza 60; S Bashir 6-81)

Result: England won by an innings and 45 runs