Blast from the past Zimbabwe coming in from the cold

Chiefly here as a warm-up act, the tourists have a promising talent who could make life uncomfortable for England

- Ali Martin

A biting wind swept across Grace Road yesterday and though the crowd was thin, there was just enough stardust to keep the autograph hunters happy. Andrew Flintoff was perched on the pavilion balcony, while Mark Wood, trying his hand at coaching during his latest injury layoff, patrolled the boundary's edge with a smile.

Out in the middle there were also runs for Josh de Caires, son of Mike Atherton, who compiled a fluent 79 from 93 balls on a green-tinged pitch. De Caires is a player in the modern mould charting his own course but some of the old man's mannerisms were there to see. Mercifully, the lower back appears to be much less creaky.

But more noteworthy than the Professional County Club Select XI - a team of fresh-faced rookies led by De Caires, coached by Flintoff, and with selector Luke Wright in attendance - was the identity of their opponents. Zimbabwe have arrived for a one-off, four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge next Thursday, their first appearance on these shores for some 22 years.