Lone Test Highlights: Root Reaches 13,000 Runs Fastest; Crawley, Duckett, and Pope’s Centuries Propel England to 498/3

Senior batsman Joe Root scored 34 runs in the first day of the lone Test against Zimbabwe, becoming the quickest player to score 13,000 runs in red-ball cricket in the course of the match on Thursday.

Root attained this milestone in his 153rd Test, reaching 13,006 runs in 279 innings with a superb average of 50.80. His aggregate includes 36 hundreds and 65 fifties, with a highest score of 262.

He now ranks fifth in the all-time list of most run-scorers in Test cricket, behind legends Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289), and Rahul Dravid (13,288). At 34 years of age, Root is England's top run-scorer in red-ball cricket, surpassing Alistair Cook, who scored 12,472 runs from 134 Tests.

Root’s innings was a modest contribution amid England’s dominant total of 498 for 3 at stumps after 88 overs. The home side’s strong position was built on centuries from Zak Crawley (124), Ben Duckett (140), and Ollie Pope (169 not out), as Zimbabwe’s bowling attack struggled to contain the run flow.

Starting off the innings, Crawley and Duckett set a strong foundation with a 231-run partnership for the first wicket, playing at a good clip. England posted 130 without loss at lunch in 26 overs.

Duckett completed his century in 100 balls, scoring 15 fours, before Crawley added a hundred off 145 balls with 12 boundaries. The evening session was when Ollie Pope sprinted to his hundred in 109 balls, smashing 14 fours and a six. He added 137 runs for the second wicket, allowing England to run the scoreboard high.

Crawley was finally sent lbw by Sikandar Raza, and Root, next in, was not able to take advantage of the good batting conditions as well, making just 34 before edging to Sean Williams, caught off the extra bounce of Blessing Muzarabani. At stumps, Pope was unbeaten on 169, with Harry Brook on 9 not out.

Brief scores:

England 498/3 in 88 overs (Ollie Pope 169*, Zak Crawley 124, Ben Duckett 140; Wessly Madhevere 1-34, Sikandar Raza 1-93) against Zimbabwe.