Online Reporter
EXACTLY 25 years after Murray Goodwin scored a fine century at Trent Bridge, rising star Brian Bennett added his name on to that honours’ list with his century at the same stadium on Friday.
Bennett also scored Zimbabwe’s fastest Test century off just 97 balls.
By the time he fell for 139, he had struck 26 fours in his magnificent innings.
Only three Zimbabwean batters have scored a Test century against England.
Andy Flower is the other batter with his 112 in Bulawayo in 1996.
Bennett said he felt as if he was back in Harare after a loyal band of travelling fans cheered him all the way to a record-breaking century in a one-off Test against England.
In Zimbabwe’s first Test in England in 22 years, the opener struck a sparkling 139 off just 143 balls, with over a hundred of those runs coming in boundaries.
By reaching his century in 97 balls, Bennett broke the record for the fastest Test hundred by a Zimbabwe batsman that previously belonged to Sean Williams, who hit a 106-ball effort against New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2016.
Although outnumbered in Nottingham, the Zimbabwe supporters made their presence felt, with many dressed in the colours of their national flag, and an elated Bennett told reporters after stumps:
“I could hear them singing the war cries we always get at Harare Sports Club, so it gave me goosebumps a little bit.
“The reception from the crowd was unbelievable – to do it in England, against England, with my family there, it’s going to be a good performance to beat this one.”
Trent Bridge staged its first England match in 1899, and Bennett’s innings means he will join Goodwin as well as such all-time greats as Donald Bradman, Denis Compton, Vivian Richards, and Geoffrey Boycott on the pavilion honours board dedicated to all those who have scored Test hundreds at Nottinghamshire’s headquarters. — Sports Reporter/Agencies
