A return to form for Trescothick Latest photos from Lord's

Marcus Trescothick and Mark Butcher scored half-centuries to give England the edge on a first day against Zimbabwe punctuated by poor weather and political protests.

Morning rain and bad light saw just 59 overs bowled and, after being sent in to bat in trying conditions, the hosts reached 184-3 at stumps.

Trescothick's 59, his first half-century since the first Ashes Test last November, was complemented by Butcher's admirable, if lucky, unbeaten 52.

England handed Test debuts to James Anderson and Anthony McGrath, while the visitors also boasted a new face, 20-year-old all-rounder Sean Ervine.

Matthew Hoggard was given the nod over James Kirtley, and Ashley Giles became the first England spinner to play at headquarters since Chris Schofield against Zimbabwe in 2000.

But with the start delayed by 80 minutes, centre stage for most of the morning belonged to the throng of protesters gathered outside the ground.

News story: Protesters at Lord's

Up to 100 people demonstrated against controversial Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, two of them invading the pitch when play got under way.

Opener Michael Vaughan struggled badly against the pronounced away-swing of Heath Streak and Andy Blignaut on either side of lunch.

Debutants Anthony McGrath and James Anderson receive their caps

His first four runs were excruciatingly compiled off 40 deliveries.

An off-driven four off Streak suggested Vaughan was warming to the conditions, but next ball he missed a regulation leg-glance and was bowled off the underside of his thigh pad.

It was due reward for Streak, whose first spell was 12 overs long and littered with wicket-taking deliveries.

Trescothick, meanwhile, was reaping the rewards of a thoughtful approach.

Zimbabwe's seamers were obliged to bowl straighter by the Somerset opener's reticence outside off-stump, and Trescothick was merciless on anything straying onto his pads.

But the left-hander's old demons came back to haunt him and he was caught in second slip, chasing a wide Blignaut ball with his feet rooted on the crease.

Butcher's knock was notable for some impressive strokeplay among his seven fours, but he was lucky to survive two clear chances.

The Surrey left-hander, playing across the line to Doug Hondo early on, survived a very interesting lbw shout and was dropped on 36 by Ervine off the first ball of Streak's second spell.

Butcher took no chances after tea, leaving that to his rash captain Nasser Hussain.

Hussain did not look particularly comfortable in reaching 19, a 56-ball effort that saw him hook and miss on two separate occasions.

It proved to be third time unlucky for the number four, with Travis Friend striking with his first ball and Doug Hondo gobbling up the chance at fine-leg.

Rob Key looked assured, finishing unbeaten on 11 when poor light called an early halt to proceedings.

England will be happy with their lot after losing an important toss, but not that their wickets were lost to poor shots rather than good bowling on a day tailor-made for seamers.

England: N Hussain (capt), MP Vaughan, ME Trescothick, MA Butcher, WRT Key, A McGrath, AJ Stewart, AF Giles, MJ Hoggard, JM Anderson, SJ Harmison.

Zimbabwe: Mark Vermeulen, Dion Ebrahim, Stuart Carlisle, Grant Flower, Tatenda Taibu (wkt), Sean Ervine, Heath Streak (capt), Andy Blignaut, Travis Friend, Raymond Price, Douglas Hondo.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor, West Indies, and Dave Orchard, South Africa.