ZIM vs NZ 1st Test: New Zealand Beat Zimbabwe by 9 Wickets in Bulawayo

ZIM vs NZ 1st Test: New Zealand started their 2-match Test series against Zimbabwe with a dominant 9-wicket win at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The visitors took control from the start and never allowed Zimbabwe to dominate, winning the first Test comfortably.

ZIM vs NZ 1st Test: Zimbabwe Struggles in Both Innings

Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first, but their decision didn’t go as planned. They had a poor start and kept losing wickets regularly.

Captain Craig Ervine was the top scorer with 39 runs. Wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga scored 30, and Nick Welch contributed 27 runs. The rest of the batting line-up failed to support, with no other player crossing even 15 runs.

New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry was brilliant, taking 6 wickets. Nathan Smith supported well with 3 wickets. Zimbabwe were all out for just 149 runs in their 1st innings.

New Zealand Take First Innings Lead

New Zealand Bounces Back With the Bat The response from New Zealand with bat in hand was strong. Openers Devon Conway and Will Young provided the side with a sound launchpad, putting on 92 runs for the first wicket. Young hit 41 not out and Conway just failed to reach the century with his score of 88.

Later middle-order batsman Daryl Mitchell, who was 80 not out. Henry Nicholls contributed 34 runs to the tally. While the remaining of batters didn’t give much support, New Zealand contrived to score 307 runs while still managing to take a critical lead of 158-runs.

Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers for Zimbabwe and claimed 3 wickets followed by Tanaka Chivanga who took 2 wickets

ZIM vs NZ 1st Test: Zimbabwe Fail Again in Second Innings

Zimbabwe again struggled in their second innings. Only Sean Williams looked confident, scoring 49 runs. Tafadzwa Tsiga scored 27, and captain Craig Ervine added 22 runs. The rest of the batters were dismissed cheaply. Zimbabwe could score only 165 runs, setting a small target of 8 runs for New Zealand.

Mitchell Santner led the bowling effort in the 2nd innings, taking 4 wickets. Matt Henry and William O’Rourke picked up 3 wickets each.

New Zealand Seals the Victory Easily

After fielding, when they were required to chase a modest 8 runs off the last over NZ lost Devon Conway in the opening exchange bowled by Nyamuri. Conway scored 4, with a boundary. But Henry Nicholls smashed a four to bring up the winning runs and New Zealand took victory by 9 wickets. Will Young was left unbeaten on nought.

New Zealand take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series with this win. The second Test will now have to be Zimbabwe’s if they are to draw the series.