Brook's calling for Zimbabwe caution

HARRY Brook has urged England not to take it easy against the underdogs of Zimbabwe, insisting ‘we can’t take our eyes off the ball’.

- BY RORY DOLLARD, PA

The international season gets under way at Trent Bridge on Thursday, with England’s first Test against the southern Africans in 22 years.

Expectations of a possible mismatch were only increased over the weekend as the tourists suffered a morale-busting 138-run defeat to an inexperienced county select XI at Grace Road.

Seventeen-year-old Thomas Rew, younger brother of new England call-up James, hit an unbeaten century in Leicester and 19-year-old Eddie Jack took five wickets as Zimbabwe crumbled against two youngsters who have yet to make their first-class debuts.

England will be backed to pull off a resounding win of their own but Brook is on guard against complacency.

"We can’t take our eyes off the ball but we want to go out there and win well, like we want to go and do in every game we play,” he told the PA news agency.