Shoaib Bashir stars for England in perfect start to Test summer against Zimbabwe

Harry Brook produced an all-time classic slip catch and Shoaib Bashir collected a career-best haul as England eased to a three-day Test victory against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.

Brook leapt high at second slip to pluck a sensational one-handed take off the bowling of an astonished Ben Stokes, blowing a fatal hole in the tourists’ resistance.

Zimbabwe, following on, were knocked over for 255 as Bashir claimed six-81 to leave England celebrating victory by an innings and 45 runs.

A decade ago at the same ground Stokes claimed an equally incredible grab on a memorable Ashes morning in Nottingham, leaving Stuart Broad so awe-struck his reaction quickly went viral on social media.

Stokes took that role this time, throwing his hands to his head in anticipation of Wessly Madhevere’s thick edge flying over the cordon for four then staring in disbelief at Brook’s moment of magic.

Zimbabwe battled admirably on a day that could easily have seen them dispatched in derisory fashion, Sean Williams making a fluent 88 and Sikandar Raza fighting for 60 but the end result was never in doubt.

Bashir’s match tally of nine wickets further underlined the difference between his burgeoning England career and his faltering experiences in county cricket. The 21-year-old came into the match with a paltry collection of two wickets in three games on loan at Division Two Glamorgan but responded to the bullish faith of his international colleagues once again.

It was, though, a less memorable outing for debutant Sam Cook. He looked worryingly toothless at times against modest opponents and combined figures of 1-119 mean it was a moderate audition for one of the domestic game’s most prolific performers.

England resumed with a handsome lead of 270, needing only seven more wickets to wrap things up with number 11 Richard Ngarava not fit enough to take the crease.

But it was hard work in the first session, with Williams and Ben Curran coming within a few minutes of shutting England out until lunch. They scored 111 runs in the first two hours, Williams particularly impressive as he used all his experience to impose himself on the home attack.

Stokes and Josh Tongue both created half chances but the catches did not stick and it was Bashir who made the breakthrough when Williams was trapped lbw on the sweep.

The afternoon session started with a ‘gimme’ for England, Curran undoing 104 balls of dogged defence with a gentle lob to cover.

It was a gift for Bashir but his willingness to take pace off and invite the error played its part. That brought Raza and Madhevere together for a bold stand of 65, shelving the parlous match situation to enjoy their moment in front of a packed house.

Cook’s final spell of the game was disappointingly flat, his full balls too comfortable to drive and his ill-judged attempt at bouncers offering easy boundaries. The visitors were ticking along at nearly a run-a-ball until Stokes re-entered the fray, forcing Madhevere back with a sharp, rising delivery that clipped the shoulder of the bat.

Brook’s chances of catching it high above his head were fractional at best but his technique and timing were nothing short of immaculate.

Just half-an-hour earlier he had been struck flush on the forehead at slip off Bashir’s bowling, caught unawares as the ball ricocheted off Jamie Smith behind the stumps.

Suddenly, Zimbabwe’s hopes of a minor moral victory – making England bat for a second time – had receded. Bashir swooped, flicking Tafadzwa Tsiga’s leg bail with a light enough contact that he took several seconds to realise it, and then picked up Blessing Muzarabani with a careless hack to wide long-on.

At the same venue where he took five-for against the West Indies last summer, Bashir went one better removing Tanaka Chivanga lbw to end the first Test between these nations in 22 years with the result everyone expected.