On Saturday, August 9, New Zealand registered a massive win by an innings and 359 runs over Zimbabwe in the second Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, to clinch the two-match series 2-0. The contest,
or lack thereof, which lasted just under two-and-a-half days, saw New Zealand batters and bowlers dominate the hosts like no tomorrow, and Devon Conway was given the player of the match award for his impressive 153 in their first innings.
Earlier, it was on day one when Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine won the toss and decided to bat first, but his decision proved to be disastrous for the hosts. Apart from the returning Brendan Taylor at the top of the order, who scored 44 off 107 with six fours and Tafadzwa Tsiga’s unbeaten later order rear-guard action of 33 off 54 with four fours, the rest of the Zimbabwe batting lineup fell away like a pack of cards.
New Zealand veteran Matt Henry picked up his second five-wicket haul in the series, while debutant Zackary Foulkes contributed with four wickets of his own, to help bowl out Zimbabwe for 125 runs in their first innings in just 48.5 overs. After that, the BlackCaps put up a batting masterclass, starting with the opening pair of Devon Conway and Will Young sharing a 162-run stand for the first wicket, to wipe out the deficit by themselves.
Young scored 74 off 111 with 11 fours, and after his departure, nightwatchman Jacob Duffy made a decent contribution in a partnership with Conway, who brought up his fifth Test hundred, the first in more than two-and-a-half years. Blessing Muzarabani cleaned up the left-handed batter after he scored 153 runs in 245 balls with 18 fours, and from that point onwards, New Zealand didn’t lose a wicket.
Henry Nicholls (150* off 245) and Rachin Ravindra (165* off 139) put up an unbeaten fourth wicket stand of 256 runs, to help New Zealand reach 601/3 in 130 overs before the captain Mitchell Santner declared their first innings overnight. The day three of the second Test saw New Zealand pacers continue from where they left off, bundling out Zimbabwe for just 117 runs in 28.1 overs.
Except for Nick Welch’s unbeaten 47 off 71 with seven fours, none of the Zimbabwe batter got into the 20s with Zakary Foulkes taking his first five-wicket haul on debut, finishing with nine wickets in the match. For his 16 wickets across both the Test matches at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Matt Henry earned the player of the series award.
