New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 9 wickets in the first match of the two-match Test series played at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
ZIM vs NZ 1st Test: The New Zealand cricket team took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, winning the first match by 9 wickets at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The hero of this victory was fast bowler Matt Henry, who took a total of 9 wickets in the match, claiming 6 in the first innings and 3 in the second.
Weak Start for Zimbabwe
The beginning of the match was disappointing for Zimbabwe. After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the host team was all out for just 149 runs in the first innings. Captain Craig Ervine scored the highest with 39 runs. Wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga scored 30 runs and Nick Welch contributed 27 runs. Apart from them, no other batsman could score a significant innings. For New Zealand, Matt Henry bowled devastatingly, taking 6 wickets, while Nathan Smith took 3 wickets.
New Zealand Gained Lead in First Innings
New Zealand scored 307 runs in their first innings, gaining a b lead of 158 runs. Openers Devon Conway and Will Young gave the team a solid start, adding 92 runs for the first wicket. Will Young scored 41 runs off 70 balls, while Devon Conway missed his century and was dismissed for 88 runs. Daryl Mitchell played a useful innings of 80 runs. Henry Nicholls added 34 runs. For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani took 3 wickets, while Tanaka Chivanga took 2 wickets.
Zimbabwe's Condition Worsened in Second Innings As Well
Zimbabwe's performance was slightly better in the second innings, but the team could only score 165 runs, setting a target of just 8 runs for New Zealand to win. Sean Williams scored 49 runs and missed his fifty. Tafadzwa Tsiga scored 27 and Craig Ervine scored 22 runs. Other batsmen did not contribute significantly. For New Zealand, captain Mitchell Santner took 4 wickets in the second innings, while Matt Henry and William O'Rourke took 3 wickets each.
New Zealand Registered an Easy Victory
New Zealand got a target of only 8 runs in the second innings, which the team easily achieved by losing 1 wicket. In the first over, Devon Conway was bowled by Numan Nyamuri for 4 runs. After that, Henry Nicholls hit a four and led the team to victory. Will Young returned unbeaten without scoring. In this match, New Zealand's fast bowler Matt Henry wreaked havoc with the ball, taking a total of 9 wickets and became 'Player of the Match'. Zimbabwe's top order could not withstand his fast bowling in both innings.
With this win, New Zealand has taken an unassailable 1-0 lead in the 2-match Test series. The next Test match between the two teams will be played at the same ground after a few days, where Zimbabwe will try to make a comeback.
