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Trescothick powers England
to easy win

England, powered by Marcus Trescothick's second consecutive one-day hundred, overwhelmed Zimbabwe by 108 runs in their Champions Trophy Pool II opener on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Somerset batsman stroked 119 from only 102 balls and shared in a 141-run second wicket partnership with skipper Nasser Hussain, who hit 75 from 97 balls after choosing to bat first in the day-night match.

England amassed 298 for six and restricted Zimbabwe to 190 for nine with some devastating fast bowling from Matthew Hoggard and Ronnie Irani.

Zimbabwe were eliminated from the trophy after losing both their pool games.

England take on India on Sunday and the winner will qualify for the semi-finals of the competition.

England innings

The partnership between Trescothick and Hussain was England's highest second wicket partnership in one-day internationals against Zimbabwe, bettering the previous best of 134, while England's total was also their best ever against the Africans in this form of cricket.

Trescothick gave the innings early impetus with a flurry of fours to dominate the new ball attack of skipper Heath Streak and Douglas Hondo on a flat pitch.

The Somerset batsman, who hit 109 during England's defeat to India in the NatWest series final in July, reached his fourth one-day century in only 89 balls and hit 11 fours and two sixes in all. The batsman, who drove fluently through cover and pulled firmly, was eventually bowled by left-arm spinner Grant Flower in the 39th over, trying to make room for an off-side shot.

Trescothick and Hussain coped well with the heat by rotating the strike well after opener Nick Knight was bowled by Hondo for eight runs in the sixth over.

Hussain, who played forceful shots off his pads and used the reverse sweep frequently, completed his 14th one-day fifty with six fours.

He was bowled trying to pull Streak in the 32nd over after the Zimbabwe skipper had brought himself on.

Trescothick had got England off to a flier, hitting three fours each in Hondo's fourth over and Streak's next, both going for 14 runs each.

He swept Douglas Marillier over square leg for six and reached his hundred sweeping Grant Flower for three.

Debutant Somerset all-rounder Ian Blackwell hit 17, which included a six, before Alec Stewart (23) and Owais Shah (25) boosted the score in the final overs.

Hondo finished with 4-44 for his second game in succession while Streak and Grant Flower claimed two apiece.

Zimbabwe innings

Zimbabwe were always up against it after being restricted to 48 overs because of their slow bowling rate.

Irani claimed for wickets for 37 runs after Hoggard snapped up three early wickets, bowling a sharp 10-over spell of pace and seam movement which cost only 25 runs.

Irani's victims included the consistent Andy Flower, who made a 59-ball 44.

Hoggard bowled left-hander Alistair Campbell (2) between bat and pad with an incoming delivery and had Grant Flower caught in the slips for seven runs before dismissing the other opener Dion Ebrahim for a slow 48-ball 20.

Streak showed some late heroics to remain 50 not out, facing 58 balls and hitting three fours and two sixes, but his effort came too late.

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