The Prague Post - Zimbabwe skipper Ervine wants more matches in England after Test thumping

The African nation's first Test in England for 22 years ended with Zimbabwe suffering an innings and 45-run thrashing at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

This match had only been scheduled for a maximum of four days, rather than the standard five for a Test, yet England still wrapped up victory before tea on the third.

Zimbabwe's hopes of an upset, after just one warm-up match against a youthful county select side, were undermined on Thursday when England made 498 --the fourth-highest total scored in a day by one team in 148 years of Test history.

England eventually compiled a commanding total of 565-6 declared, with their top three of Zak Crawley (124), Ben Duckett (140) and Ollie Pope (171) all scoring hundreds against a Zimbabwe attack a man down after Richard Ngarava bowled just nine overs before suffering a back injury.

From then on, the tourists faced an uphill struggle but their first-innings 265 did see Brian Bennett set a new record for the fastest Test century by a Zimbabwe batsman, the 21-year-old opener reaching the landmark in just 97 balls.

Zimbabwe, however, were forced to follow-on and were dismissed for 255 second time around as England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir took a Test-best 6-81.

But the way Sean Williams (88) and Sikandar Raza (60) scored freely against England's attack on Saturday provided further encouragement for Zimbabwe.

- 'Bounced back' -

"The guys really stuck to their guns pretty well," Ervine told reporters after Saturday's close. "The first day didn't go our way but the guys bounced back after that.

"Brian Bennett played an unbelievable innings and Sean Williams today and Sikandar Raza, the guys can be pretty proud of themselves."

Asked what it would mean to Zimbabwe to join the increasingly select group of teams featuring in a five-Test series in England, veteran batsman Ervine replied: "It would be outstanding to have that...There's no better place, I think, to come and test yourself as a cricketer."

After playing their first Test in 1992, Zimbabwe took a sabbatical from the format which eventually lasted six years, amid economic and political chaos in 2005.

They endured a range of financial problems and an International Cricket Council (ICC) suspension for government interference in 2019.

But they have since cleaned up their finances and made their annual cash injection of $13.5 million from the ICC help funding a five-team domestic system and the cost of staging Tests on home soil.

The England and Wales Cricket Board paid Zimbabwe Cricket a reported tour fee of £150,000 ($202,688) for this fixture.

Despite not being part of the World Test Championship, Zimbabwe will still play 11 matches in the format in 2025 -- a total only equalled in the calendar year by reigning red-ball champions Australia.

Next up for Zimbabwe is a two-Test series at home to neighbours South Africa in June and July.

"Facing the England bowling attack, all the different challenges, you know questions are being asked of your technique, your defence," said the 39-year-old Ervine.

"I think if you can combat those and get through those in these conditions, there's no reason why you can't get through those same challenges back home in familiar conditions against South Africa and New Zealand."

Zimbabwe were roared on by a vocal band of fans at Trent Bridge, many wearing the colours of the national flag, with Bennett saying their "war cries" during his hundred made him feel as if he was in Harare rather than Nottingham.

"It's pretty special," said Ervine.

"I know that losing is difficult to take, but I think the lap that we just did around the field just shows how special the fans for Zimbabwe are and how much we also appreciate their support."

T.Musil--TPP