Soon afterwards, Sussex's Kirtley removed Douglas Marillier, bowling the batsman straight through the gate.

Trescothick trudges off the wicket in disconsolate fashion

There were surprise wickets for occasional medium pacers Mark Ramprakash and Marcus Trescothick, and Jeremy Snape added to a handy performance with the bat by taking two wickets.

Earlier, the tourists launched a fine recovery thanks to a 158-run stand between Thorpe and Ben Hollioake (61).

But at one point it looked like England would struggle to post anything like a decent score, despite winning the toss.

However, the Surrey pair moved the score on in intelligent fashion before both were dismissed in the final dash for runs.

Ervine impresses

Hollioake - after hitting three fours in one Henry Olonga over - was finally dismissed by the impressive Sean Ervine with five overs left. And Thorpe fell to the same bowler soon after.

The first man out in the morning was Trescothick. The Somerset opener was out to the last ball of the first over when he attempted an ambitious drive at a straight one from Pommie Mbangwa and lost his off stump.

Nick Knight put on 43 with skipper Nasser Hussain, but then tried a bold stroke to a Douglas Hondo off-cutter and was clean bowled for 22.

Debutant Jeremy Snape on the way to a quick-fire 29 not out

Hussain was unable to steady the ship - and became the third England man out bowled when he missed a straight ball from 18-year-old Ervine.

Ramprakash followed moments later, chasing an away swinger from Hondo which he edged to wicket-keeper Taibu.

Thorpe was now in the familiar position of being forced to build a recovery in mid-innings.

And he immediately lost Andrew Flintoff, when the big all-rounder was caught and bowled by Viljoen.

Thorpe dropped

Soon afterwards, Thorpe was dropped when he attempted an ill-judged hook - Barney Rogers spilling the chance.

But the experienced left-hander cut the next ball from Ervine for four and then began a responsible partnership with a watchful Hollioake.

Thorpe went to his 50 with a square cut for four off slow bowler Rogers and followed with a flick off the same bowler over mid-on two balls later for another boundary.

And he used the same shot to dispatch Mbangwa in the following over for four more.

Debutant Snape collared 27 off 19 balls at the death.

Teams

Zimbabwe A: G Rennie (capt), S Matsikenyire, G Croxford, D Marillier, D Viljoen, B Rogers, T Taibu, S Ervine, H Olonga, D Hondo, P Mbangwa.

England:
ME Trescothick (Somerset), NV Knight (Warwickshire), N Hussain (Essex, capt), MR Ramprakash (Surrey), GP Thorpe (Surrey), A Flintoff (Lancashire), BC Hollioake (Surrey), JN Snape (Gloucestershire), JS Foster (Essex, wkt), RJ Kirtley (Sussex), MJ Hoggard (Yorkshire).