Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett break records with jaw-dropping opening stand for England

England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett produced a strong start in the new home season, as they recorded a 200+ partnership for the first wicket on the opening day of the only Test against Zimbabwe at Nottingham. 

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett recorded a 231-run opening partnership

Finally, we have come to the historic day when England and Zimbabwe have been facing each other in a Test match for the first time since May 2003. After Zimbabwe chose to field first, English openers provided a solid start for the hosts with a 231-run partnership for the first wicket. Both the English opening batters, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, scored centuries in that innings.

English openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett fired up with a 231-run partnership for the first wicket in 41.3 overs. Duckett recorded a 100-ball century and scored 140 off 134 balls (20 fours and two sixes) before Wessly Madhevere took his wicket, while Crawley later completed his century in 145 balls with the help of 12 fours. 

The 231-run opening partnership was very special for England. In the following, we are going through some key records of the special partnership. 

• It was the third-highest Test opening partnership for England at home. The top two records are 290 runs between Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Pullar (vs South Africa at The Oval in 1960) and 268 runs between Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe (vs South Africa at Lord's in 1924).
• It was England's first 150+ partnership for any wicket in a Test innings against Zimbabwe. 
• It was also the fourth-highest Test opening partnership for any team against Zimbabwe. 

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Both English openers scored centuries

While both the English openers recorded centuries, it was the first time since the 1991 home season when both the English openers recorded centuries in the same innings of a home Test. Last time, it happened during the 1990 Manchester Test against India. Meanwhile, both England's opening batters scored centuries in the same Test innings previously during the 2022 Rawalpindi Test. It was the 15th time when both the English openers scored centuries in the same Test innings.