Desk Report,
Zimbabwe avoids innings defeat, New Zealand secures big win
New Zealand needed 8 runs to win. There were still 11 minutes left before the tea break. Surprisingly, the tea break was announced at such a time.
Zimbabwe avoids innings defeat, New Zealand secures big win
In the end, however, the result was what it was. Batting a little late, New Zealand reached the required runs in 2.2 overs, although they had to lose 1 wicket. The Kiwis won the first of the two-Test series against hosts Zimbabwe in Bulawayo by a big margin of 9 wickets. Today was the third day of the match. Zimbabwe started the day with the fear of losing an innings. The hosts were still 127 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings, with 8 wickets in hand. However, in the end, they did not have to lose by an innings margin because of Shaun Williams, Craig Ervine and Tafadzawa Siga. After starting the day with 31 runs for 2 wickets, Zimbabwe was all out for 165 runs in the second innings. Zimbabwe faced the cannonade of Matt Henry-William O’Rourke from the beginning of the day. O’Rourke took the first two wickets for New Zealand on the day. Nick Welch and Vincent Masekesa were dismissed for 4 runs off 32 balls and 2 runs off 2.
After their departure, Zimbabwe started to show hope of taking the lead after overcoming the shock of Sean Williams and Craig Ervine. But Zimbabwe’s hopes were dashed again when they both departed within 8 balls of each other. Williams broke the 67-run partnership when he was caught behind the wicket by Mitchell Santner. The Zimbabwe captain scored 49 runs. In the next over, Ervine, who had scored 22 runs off 53 balls, was caught behind the wicket by Matt Henry. Zimbabwe’s chances of taking the lead were almost over. When the eighth wicket fell, they still needed 32 runs to avoid losing an innings.
Siga and Blessing Mujarabani then started the fight anew. They succeeded in that difficult task with a partnership of 36 runs off 84 balls. Siga made 27 off 83 balls and Mujarabani made 19 off 38 balls to avoid an innings defeat. New Zealand were set a target of 8 runs to win. After a 15-minute tea break, the Kiwis went in pursuit when Devon Conway was bowled by Newman Nuamhari for 4.
The second and final Test of the series will be played in Bulawayo from August 7.
Brief scores
Zimbabwe: 149 and 165 (Williams 49, Siga 27, Ervin 22; Santner 4/27, Henry 3/51, O’Rourke 3/27).
New Zealand first innings: 307 in 96.1 overs (Conway 88, Mitchell 80, Young 41, Nicholls 34; Mujarabani 3/73, Chibanga 2/51).
Result: New Zealand won by 9 wickets.
Man of the Match: Matt Henry.
