This was the beginning of a defining year for England in Test cricket, with series against India and Australia lying ahead. The challenge and intensity of those encounters will be far above a sedate and one-sided opening day in Nottingham. Zimbabwe have not played a Test in this country for 22 years. They are reestablishing themselves as a Test nation, with a total of 11 matches in 2025. While this was a Test in name, it was not a contest. From England's point of view, the intrigue surrounded the conundrum at the top of the order after Bethell impressed in New Zealand during the winter. With the 21-year-old absent at the Indian Premier League, on Wednesday England captain Ben Stokes appeared to suggest Bethell would come straight back into the team later in the summer by saying: "Put two and two together, you probably know what's going to happen." It was later clarified that Stokes was referring to Bethell making an instant return to the England squad, rather than the XI. Still, both Crawley and Pope would have known that their places are under pressure and could not have done more to make their case. Given the opposition and the conditions, the question is whether England have learned anything to inform the decision that lies ahead.