New Zealand completed a clinical and emphatic nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe inside three days at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, riding high on Matt Henry’s exceptional nine-wicket haul. The win puts the visitors 1-0 up in the two-Test series, while Zimbabwe’s prolonged woes in the longest format continue to deepen.
Zimbabwe chose to bat first on a surface that looked promising but soon came undone under relentless pressure from New Zealand’s fast bowlers. Matt Henry struck early, removing both openers within the first seven overs, and didn’t look back from there. His pace, accuracy, and ability to exploit subtle movement off the pitch made life miserable for the Zimbabwean top order. With 6 for 39 in the first innings, Henry led the charge as Zimbabwe stumbled to a modest total of 149.
New Zealand responded with solidity and conviction. Devon Conway’s 88 and Daryl Mitchell’s 80 formed the backbone of their 307 total, which handed the visitors a commanding first-innings lead of 158 runs. While a much more disciplined bowling display on the morning of the second day by Zimbabwe bowlers troubled the visitors, the Black Caps’intent and ability to build partnerships set them well apart from their hosts.
Zimbabwe’s second innings didn’t begin with much aplomb either. Reduced to 31 for 2 by the end of Day 2, their hopes rested on senior players Craig Ervine and Sean Williams. The pair showed composure and combined for a 57-run stand that briefly hinted a fightback. Williams, especially, batted with positive intent and stroked his way to 49 before a faint tickle off Santner ended his resistance. Ervine, too, looked solid before being undone by Henry, who found an outside edge to send him back for 22.
From there, the familiar pattern of collapse resumed. Sikandar Raza, under scrutiny after a poor first innings shot selection, fell cheaply again, trying to hit Henry over midwicket—only to gift his wicket with a poorly timed heave. That dismissal marked Henry’s ninth for the match. Despite his efforts to find a tenth, the honour was shared as Santner cleaned up the tail with three more wickets, finishing with an impressive 4 for 27. O’Rourke, stepping up in the absence of the injured Nathan Smith, took 3 for 28 and played a pivotal role in dismantling the top order.
Zimbabwe’s last resistance came from wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga and tailender Blessing Muzarabani, who came together for a 36-run stand that prevented an innings defeat. Tsiga showed glimpses of composure but ultimately perished trying to force the pace. Zimbabwe’s of 165 meant New Zealand required just 8 runs to win; a formality that was completed in 14 balls after the tea break. Conway fell early while attempting to finish the job quickly, but Henry Nicholls and Will Young took care of the business with further loss wickets.
Captain Mitchell Santner, leading in Tom Latham’s absence, praised the team’s collective bowling effort, emphasising the importance of maintaining discipline and adapting to the conditions. “Matt [Henry] was outstanding, and we kept our lines tight. We know there’s still room for improvement with the bat, but this was a good team effort,” he said during the post-match presentation.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, faces tough questions. Their batting lacked cohesion, patience, and technique. While Williams and Tsiga offered resistance, the lack of support from the rest of the batters continues to be Zimbabwe’s Achilles’ heel. With veteran Brendan Taylor expected to return for the second Test, there could be changes in the lineup possibly at the expense of underperforming top order batters.
The pressure will be on Zimbabwe not just to level the series but to rediscover their identity in the red-ball format. For New Zealand, the task is simpler: maintain this rhythm, remain clinical, and close the series with another strong performance in Bulawayo next week.
New Zealand 307 (Conway 88, Mitchell 80, Muzarabani 3-73) and 8 for 1 beat Zimbabwe 149 (Ervine 39, Henry 6-39, Smith 3-20) and 165 (Williams 49, Santner 4-27, O’Rourke 3-28, Henry 3-51) by nine wickets
