England v Zimbabwe - First Test, Day 1 Report

It was a momentous day for Zimbabwe, the minnows of Test cricket, at the Headquarters of the game, as they embarked on their first ever Test series in England.

This historical tour has been a long while coming; eight years and 41 Tests after Zimbabwe were elevated to Test status. It will be remembered that England had opposed their entry to the highest level of cricket until 1992.

In view of that, it is of some significance to note that the relative new entrants to the international scene have maintained a parity in the results of their previous encounters with England at both levels of cricket.

Indeed, at one stage, the sequence of victories, in the shorter version of the game, stood at 6-2 in favour of Zimbabwe. This was not merely a flattering margin, but in fact, arose from the dedication and hard work that Zimbabwe had put into their game. They would, no doubt, wish to forge ahead in the outcome of Tests as well.

Despite the distraction of the current situation at home and the unwelcoming weather conditions that the tourists have had to endure from the start of this tour, the players have remained focused to the task in their endeavour to reverse the result of their 2-0 defeat last month in the Caribbean.

However, on the evidence of their performance on the opening day of this inaugural Test, it appears that it would be quite a toil for them to get the better of England, a side which occupies only one position above them at the bottom of the table in the unofficial world Test rankings. They certainly did not rise to the occasion; the first day of the Lord's Test match has always been regarded as something special.

To have lost three wickets in the first six overs before the total had even reached double figures would indicate, perhaps, a loss of nerves. But it has to be said their batting has had a look of deficiency, judging from their previous couple of Test series. It has been a major problem through a dispiriting recent past.

Just how brittle the batting has been was further exemplified in their failing to chase a meagre 93 to win a Test against West Indies only six weeks ago.

Zimbabwe's wretched performance with the bat today arose from a combination of a lack of application and poor shot selection.

England's pace bowlers, on the other hand, took advantage of the favourable overcast conditions on a pitch which had a bit of grass on it. Zimbabwe never looked like being able to make a recovery after Andy Caddick had inflicted the early damage to the innings, removing the first three wickets for 2 in a space of nine balls.

His figures, however, were not quite as remarkable as Ed Giddins who, playing in only his second Test match, had a haul of 5 for 15 from seven overs.

Zimbabwe, through a most inept batting performance, had made the England bowling appear unplayable.