Stokes and Bashir star with ball as England boss spirited Zimbabwe

Ben Stokes made a typically impactful return to bowling as England moved closer to victory over Zimbabwe on a second day at Trent Bridge which saw Sam Cook claim a first international scalp and spinner Shoaib Bashir bag three morale-boosting wickets.

Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett (139) hit his nation's fastest Test ton, from 97 deliveries, as the tourists were bowled out for 265 in reply to England's 565-5 declared - in which Ollie Pope top-scored with 171 - and asked to follow-on during an action-packed Friday.

Bennett was lbw to Gus Atkinson for one second time around before captain Craig Ervine (2) clipped Josh Tongue to Ollie Pope at short leg as as Zimbabwe closed on 30-2 to trail by 270, leaving England eyeing a win inside three days of this four-day fixture with Saturday's previously sketchy forecast having cleared up.

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Stokes (2-11), taking the ball for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in New Zealand in December, came on to bowl the final two deliveries of the 37th over after Bashir (3-62) had left the field with a bloodied index finger sustained while targeting a return catch.

The England captain should have struck with his first legal delivery - his opening effort was a no-ball - only for Joe Root to inexplicably drop Bennett on 89 at slip, leaving Stokes frustrated.

But the skipper broke through in his first two full overs, nicking off Sikandar Raza (7) with a peach that rose up and nipped away, and then castling Wessly Madhevere (0) with a nip-backer - Raza and Madhevere out in the space of 11 balls prior to tea, Zimbabwe 199-5.

Bashir - backed so much by Stokes despite not being first-choice spinner at Somerset and taking just two wickets at an average of 152 during a three-match loan spell at Glamorgan this spring - was also instrumental, removing Ervine (42) and then Tafadzwa Tsiga (22) with beauties and also forcing Sean Williams (25) to chop on.

Left-hander Ervine was caught at slip by Harry Brook from a ball that dipped and turned, before right-hander Tsiga was castled when Bashir ragged a crackerjack delivery between bat and pad.

More to follow...