Match overview
England Cricket beat Zimbabwe Cricket by 45 runs in the Test match played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 22 May 2025. England posted a first innings of 565/6, a total that dwarfed the venue's average first-innings score of 198 across 164 matches at the ground. Zimbabwe replied with 265/9 in their first knock, then were bowled out for 255/9 chasing in the fourth innings. Shoaib Bashir was named Player of the Match for his bowling contribution. Zimbabwe had won the toss and elected to field.
The margin of 45 runs flatters Zimbabwe slightly. Once England's batters had put on 565/6, the match was effectively on one trajectory. Zimbabwe needed to bat out of their skins across two full innings to give themselves a chance, and whilst they showed enough character to avoid being bowled out cheaply on either occasion, the task was always beyond them.
England came into this match on the back of five consecutive Test defeats in 2025, against South Africa, Australia and India. A comprehensive home win against Zimbabwe will not silence those broader questions about England's form against the top-ranked sides, but it provides at least a positive result before whatever comes next in the schedule.
Venue and conditions
Trent Bridge is one of England's most productive batting venues across its 164-match history in the dataset. The average first-innings score of 198 and second-innings average of 183 suggest it plays fairly, with the pitch typically offering something to both batters and bowlers. James Anderson's match figures of 11/71 from 37 overs in a 2010 Test here, and Stuart Broad's 9/51 from 25.5 overs in a 2015 Test, show it is capable of assisting quality seam bowling too.
Toss decisions at Trent Bridge have leaned towards fielding first: 57% of captains winning the toss have opted to put the opposition in. Zimbabwe followed that pattern here, though England's batters made them regret it. The ground's chase success rate of 45% across its history suggests fourth-innings run chases are harder than the average Test venue, which partly explains why Zimbabwe fell short even when they had runs on the board.
The highest individual innings recorded at this ground in the dataset is DJ Mitchell's 252 from 449 balls in June 2022, evidence that the surface can accommodate very long batting efforts when conditions allow. England clearly found those conditions on day one and beyond.
How to watch
England home Test matches are broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket in the UK. The full five-day schedule, including any reserve days, is available via a Sky subscription, the Sky Go app, or a NOW TV day or monthly pass. For fans without a television subscription, BBC Test Match Special provides uninterrupted ball-by-ball radio commentary available free via BBC Sounds and Radio 4 Long Wave.
Highlights and match reports are available through the ECB's official channels and the BBC Sport website, typically published on the evening of each day's play.
Recent form
England's recent form heading into this Test was difficult reading: five defeats from five matches in 2025, against South Africa, Australia and three successive losses to India. The runs and wickets tallied at Trent Bridge in this fixture will not fully address the underlying issues against stronger opposition, but Test wins at home still matter for confidence and squad momentum.
Zimbabwe arrived having played a mixed programme in 2025. They beat Bangladesh Cricket in one of their two meetings, lost the other, and recorded two no-results against Ireland alongside one win. Their 265/9 in the first innings here showed they can compete with bat in hand for extended periods, and their second innings of 255/9 was not far off matching it. Against the top Test nations, however, those totals are rarely sufficient when the opposition bats only once and scores 565/6. England will travel into their next fixtures knowing this result, for all its statistical weight, leaves the broader form questions unanswered.