Zimbabwe win toss, lose initiative

Fellow left-hander Mark Butcher, given two huge let-offs, then added 52 not out, leaving Zimbabwe rueing a mix of bad luck and poor play.

Having won the toss, their often wayward attack failed to create any concerted pressure after an 80-minute rain delay.

Trescothick’s audacious approach had been in stark contrast to fellow opener Michael Vaughan. Vaughan, the world’s most successful batsman last year and with the much tighter technique, retreated into his shell in an attempt to survive only to fall for eight after batting for almost an hour and a quarter.

Vaughan missed more than he hit. At one stage he was beaten outside the off stump three balls in a row by Andy Blignaut.

Trescothick, who began with a slice past gully for four in the first over of the day, opted instead for attack.

Relying mainly on straight-bat shots down the ground, he never looked at his best but appeared Bradmanesque in comparison to his out-of-touch partner. Vaughan’s good fortune ran out after 42 balls with the score on 45 when a leg-side delivery from the hard-working Heath Streak clipped the bottom of his thigh pad and somehow worked back into the stumps.

Trescothick, having put on 76 for the second wicket with Butcher, finally edged Blignaut to Sean Ervine at second slip, who took the catch above his head. He scored nine fours in a 115-ball knock spanning 2-1/2 hours.

Nasser Hussain looked comfortable enough before, following an interruption for bad light, he mis-hooked Travis Friend’s first ball to fine leg and Douglas Hondo to make it 165 for three. Butcher played the shot of the day — a blazing cover drive off Hondo — and was granted the luck of the day. (Reuters)