New Zealand resumed overnight on 92 for no loss and eased past Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 149 before its innings ended on 307 for nine, with all-rounder Nathan Smith retiring hurt with an abdominal strain.
New Zealand was in firm control after taking a 158-run lead over Zimbabwe after the first innings on Thursday and then making inroads into the host’s batting on the second day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club.
red 80 to take New Zealand’s score past 300. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu
New Zealand was in firm control after taking a 158-run lead over Zimbabwe after the first innings on Thursday and then making inroads into the host’s batting on the second day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club.
New Zealand resumed overnight on 92 for no loss and eased past Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 149 before its innings ended on 307 for nine, with all-rounder Nathan Smith retiring hurt with an abdominal strain.
Zimbabwe, who then had to face 13 overs in the final session on Thursday, lost openers Ben Curran and Brian Bennett cheaply and was 31 for two at the close, still trailing by 127 runs.
Opener Devon Conway top-scored for New Zealand with 88 but went early after lunch as he cut a sharply rising delivery from Tanaka Chivanga to Brian Bennett in the gully.
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Daryl Mitchell was bowled for 80 by Newman Nyamhuri, the last wicket to fall as New Zealand added 215 to its overnight score for a significant lead on a testing pitch.
Will Young had been dismissed first ball of the day for 41 by Blessing Muzarabani, who returned Zimbabwe’s best bowling figures of three for 73 off 26 overs.
Henry Nicholls scored 34 while Smith made 22 before being forced from the crease in obvious pain.
Zimbabwe will resume on Friday with Nick Welch (2 not out) and Vincent Masekesa, who had yet to score, at the crease.
The action began with Blessing Muzarabani striking on the very first ball of the day to get rid of Will Young and in came Henry Nicholls, erecting a decent 66-run stand. Like Young, Nicholls also had to depart of a short-pitched one from Muzarabani. No. 4 batter Rachin Ravindra too made his way back without adding much to his tally. Just as everyone thought Conway would get to his hundred soon, he was dismissed by Tanaka Chivanga for 88 off 170.
Momentum had swung Zimbabwe’s way, as Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell made their way back to the pavillion, however, Mitchell held his end firmly. The seasoned all-rounder did bulk of the scoring in his partnerships with Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith (retired not out on 22). While the Kiwi opener had missed his century, Mitchell was on his way to get one, but he too, was left devoid, getting his defence broken on an attempted scoop after scoring 80 off 119.
Smith could not come back to bat, as New Zealand innings was wrapped up for 307. For the hosts, Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers, picking three wickets on the day, while Chivanga also walked off with a couple. Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, and Vincent Masekesa had a wicket apiece against their names.
Zimbabwe’s reply began on a promising note, but just when it seemed as if the openers were playing good enough to negotiate the new ball, Ben Curran (11 off 26) and Bennett (18 off 21) had departed to Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke, respectively. Bracewell was brought into the attack in just the ninth over of the innings. More spin was injected as skipper Santner got himself on in the subsequent over. Nick Welch (2* off 18) and Vincent Masekesa (0* off 13) kept the wickets’ column of Zimbabwe to only two, but they are still 127 runs behind.
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