NZ register their biggest win in Tests after beating Zimbabwe by an innings, 359 runs

New Zealand have registered their biggest ever Test victory after crushing Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs to complete a 2-0 series sweep at the Queens Sports Club here on Saturday.

The huge loss is also Zimbabwe’s heaviest defeat in the longer format.

After New Zealand declared their first innings on 601/3 in 130 overs at the start of the third day’s play, debutant pacer Zakary Foulkes picked a five-wicket haul and now holds the record for the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on Test debut.

Senior seamer Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, and Matt Fisher were all among the wickets to bowl out Zimbabwe for 117 in their second innings. Henry, who will now join Welsh Fire for a stint at The Hundred, capped off a brilliant series with 16 wickets.

For Zimbabwe, Nick Welch offered lone resistance by remaining unbeaten on 47 after coming in during the first over of their second innings and had to single-handedly do the scoring, even as he watched wickets tumble around him.

Brian Bennett was out in the first over, as Henry castled him with an inswinger, while an outswinger dismissed Brendan Taylor from the pacer. Sean Williams got a leading edge off Duffy, who completed a simple caught and bowled dismissal, while Craig Ervine nicked off in the cordon off Fisher.

All-rounder Sikandar Raza was troubled by the short ball once again and gave a catch to gully off Foulkes. What also didn’t help Zimbabwe’s cause was that none of the lower-order batters got into double figures.

Duffy thought he had sealed the win early for New Zealand, but was denied due to a no-ball called after he overstepped at the crease. The end, though, came swiftly afterwards, as Duffy had Tanaka Chivanga caught at gully to seal a solid win for New Zealand.

The emphatic result in the Test match also marked the completion of a successful tour for the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps, who also won the preceding T20I Tri-series, with South Africa coming in as the third team.

“A great game in all aspects. We were challenged at times throughout the game, and I guess we kind of got through those periods by cashing in on it. I think the way we bowled, especially in the first innings, it was probably a little bit there, but the way we bowled Zimbabwe for 120 in that first innings, and then we could really cash in with the bat, can’t really complain about anything from this game,” said Santner in the post-match press conference.

Reflecting on the tour, where New Zealand also won the T20I tri-series, with South Africa as the third team, Santner stated, “It’s obviously a nice thing to finish the tour on a win. But in that tri-series, we were challenged at different stages against two good teams in Harare, and then to score the first goal, I guess to make the final, and then to win in a close game against South Africa was cool.”

“Then coming here, again, a different challenge, different surface, different conditions, and the boys looked at home and stepped up, which was great to see.

“I guess we will reflect on the series, the good and bad, and then we get back home, and I guess get to play in friendlier conditions than what we were going to get here.”

“But the way the new seam group this game stepped up, it puts us in a great position when we go home, as we’ve got plenty of options with the ball. Jamieson will probably be back in, Kane’s back in as well with the bat, so it could be a slightly different-looking team. But guys who come in and step up straight away, it’s a great position to be in,” he concluded.

Agencies

Brief scores:

Zimbabwe 125 and 117 in 28.1 overs (Nick Welch 47, Craig Ervine 17; Zakary Foulkes 5-37, Matt Henry 2-16) lost to New Zealand 601/3 dec in 130 overs (Rachin Ravindra 165 not out, Devon Conway 153, Henry Nicholls 150 not out; Blessing Muzarabani 1-101) by an innings and 359 runs.