Is England’s 498 at Trent Bridge vs Zimbabwe the most runs in one day in Tests?
There is only one way to describe what happened at Trent Bridge on day one of the Test between England and Zimbabwe: lambs to the slaughter. Zimbabwe’s hapless bowlers were carted all over the park as England’s top three batters filled their boots.
We expected the visitors to struggle with the ball, after all, they conceded a total of 794 runs for 17 wickets in two innings against an unheralded Professional County Club XI in their warm-up match. The PCC XI, which only had four players over the age of 21, romped to a convincing 138-run win over the visitors.
The PCC XI was buoyed by centuries from Dan Mousley (154) and Thomas Rew (103*). Joshua De Caires, Sebastian Morgan, and Jafer Chohan chipped in half-centuries in a dominant 138-run win over the visitors. Despite that loss, no one expected Zimbabwe’s bowlers to be so disastrous against England.
Their pacers were all over the show, failing to nail an effective line and length so much that their captain, Craig Ervine, had no idea where to place fielders to stem the flow of runs. They failed to make use of the conditions and conceded 498/3 on the first day of their 4-day Test.
England break records
Zak Crawley found form with 124 off 171, and his opening partner, Ben Duckett, did Ben Duckett things as he raced to 140 off 134 balls. At stumps, Ollie Pope was unbeaten on 169 off 163 in the company of Harry Brook, who was on nine off 18.England’s total, 498/3, is the second-highest score on day one of a Test.
It is closely behind England’s 506/4 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022. As in this Test, Crawley, Duckett, and Pope scored tons. All three centuries were brisk; Crawley made 122 from 111, Duckett creamed 107 from 110, and Pope struck 108 from 104.
Another bit of symmetry is that Joe Root missed out on a big score in both innings. He was dismissed for 23 in Rawalpindi and fell for 34 against Zimbabwe.
When Australia went really big against South Africa
Australia’s 494/6 against South Africa in 1910 is the third-highest total on day one, followed by 482/5, again by Australia, and again against South Africa, in 2012. Australia also scored the fifth-most runs on the first day of a Test with 475/2 against England at the Oval in 1934.
If we zoom out, England’s 498/3 against Zimbabwe is the all-time sixth-highest score in a single day of cricket in Tests. The highest is England’s 588/6 compiled with India’s help in 1936. The second-most runs in a day are the 522 runs for two wickets by England when they went up against South Africa in 1934.
How Sri Lanka trounced Bangladesh
Sri Lanka amassed 509 runs on day two of their Test against Bangladesh in 2002. That total sits in third place on the all-time list of scores in a single day. It is followed by England’s 508/8 over South Africa in 1935.
If we alter the parameters and focus on dates, England’s total on the first day of their Test against Zimbabwe is the sixth-highest since 1900, and the third-highest since 1950 and in the 21st century.
When Zimbabwe left Harare for the UK, journalists and broadcasters mentioned that this team was eager to make history. Most of us expected them to push hard for a draw, a result that Zimbabwe has not yet managed against England in Tests. No one thought that the history would be Zimbabwean bowlers helping England register one of the highest scores on the first day of a Test.
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