Ben Stokes made an impactful return to Test cricket by taking two wickets as England enforced the follow-on against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on Friday, despite a record-breaking century from Brian Bennett. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 265 after tea on the second day of the four-day match, trailing England’s massive first-innings total of 565/6d by 300 runs. England captain Stokes quickly asked Zimbabwe to bat again, aiming to tighten their grip on the match in Nottingham. By stumps, Zimbabwe were 30/2 in their second innings, still 270 runs behind. This represented a slight recovery from 7/2 in what is Zimbabwe’s first Test in England in 22 years. Bennett experienced the harsh side of Test cricket when he was lbw for just one to Gus Atkinson, and Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine also fell cheaply. Zimbabwe initially held their own against England’s batsmen, reaching 187/3 on a flat pitch in their first innings. However, Stokes, playing his first match of the year after hamstring surgery, took two wickets for no runs in 11 balls before tea, reducing Zimbabwe to 199/5. Stokes had Sikandar Raza caught behind for seven with a ball that lifted and cut away, then bowled Wessly Madhevere for a duck with an in-swinging delivery. Bennett, who had some luck on his side, managed to keep England at bay, scoring 139 off 143 balls, including 26 fours, before being dismissed. He reached his century in 97 balls, breaking the record for the fastest Test hundred by a Zimbabwe batsman, previously held by Sean Williams with a 106-ball effort against New Zealand in 2016. Bennett was given a lifeline when Joe Root dropped him in the slips off Stokes on 89, but he went on to reach his hundred, his second in seven Tests, with three consecutive fours off Gus Atkinson. “When I play my best, that is my game-plan – to be positive,” said Bennett. “I saw the ball nicely.” Bennett, whose parents were in the crowd at Trent Bridge, added, “It is a huge honour to play for Zimbabwe in Test cricket, especially at such a young age.” After tea, Bennett was brilliantly caught by Ollie Pope at short leg off a rising delivery from Josh Tongue, but replays showed Tongue had overstepped. However, Bennett didn’t capitalise on his reprieve, falling for 139 to the same combination, with Pope taking an easier catch. Zimbabwe’s innings ended at 265, with injured paceman Richard Ngarava unable to bat. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir finished with figures of 3/62, a significant improvement after taking just two wickets in the County Championship this season at an average of 152. “It was nice to get the wickets there,” said Bashir. “It was a pretty dominant day from us. Walking into the dressing room, we say you stand six-foot tall. I’m very well supported here. It’s my happy place,” added Bashir, who was loaned to Glamorgan due to limited opportunities at Somerset. England resumed Friday at 498/3 under sunny skies, with Ollie Pope on 169 not out after hundreds from openers Zak Crawley (124) and Ben Duckett (140). Pope added just two more runs before being caught behind off Tanaka Chivanga, bringing in Stokes, who scored nine runs. Harry Brook attacked Zimbabwe’s bowling, hitting 58 off 50 balls with six fours and three sixes. He struck Blessing Muzarabani for two consecutive sixes and reached his fifty with another six before being bowled by Muzarabani, who finished with figures of 3/143.