New Zealand wrapped up a clinical nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in just two-and-a-half days at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, to take a 1–0 lead in the two-match Test series. The match, not part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, was dominated by the BlackCaps from the outset, with Matt Henry’s nine-wicket match haul the standout performance.
Henry Hits Hard, Santner Steps Up as Skipper
It was Matt Henry who did the early damage, returning figures of 6 for 39 on the opening day to blow away Zimbabwe’s top order. He added 3 for 51 in the second innings to complete a commanding all-round performance and was deservedly named Player of the Match.
With the chop and change in formats, you've got to trust the work you've put in. We were able to exploit the assistance on offer and set up a platform for the team.
Captain Mitchell Santner, leading the Test side for the first time, contributed with both ball and leadership. His 4 for 27 helped dismantle Zimbabwe’s second innings and seal the win.
It was a great collective performance. There was more in it [the pitch] than we thought. Could’ve batted a bit better, but we bowled exceptionally. Henry wasn’t in the team for a bit, so to take nine on that wicket is a pretty good effort.
Conway and Mitchell Power First-Innings Lead
After bowling out Zimbabwe for 149 in the first innings, New Zealand responded with a strong 307, led by Devon Conway (88) and Daryl Mitchell (80). Despite tight spells from Blessing Muzarabani (3 for 73), Zimbabwe couldn’t stop the Kiwis from establishing a 158-run lead.
Santner admitted that while partnerships weren’t many, the intent with the bat was clear.
We talked about building partnerships but didn’t quite get big ones. Blessing was a real challenge — especially with the bounce he got.
Zimbabwe Falter Again Despite Williams' Resistance
Trailing by a big margin, Zimbabwe needed a strong second-innings effort. But despite a gritty 49 by Sean Williams and another spirited knock from Tafadzwa Tsiga (27), they managed only 165, setting New Zealand a target of just 8 runs — which they chased in under three overs.
Captain Craig Ervine pointed to both effort and misfortune as reasons for the defeat.
There was a lot more application in this Test. A few dodgy decisions didn’t help. We were probably 100 short in the first innings.
“We’ve been on the road for a fair bit. We’ll take a couple of days off, go back to the drawing board, and come back fresh for the next one,” he added.
BlackCaps in Control as Series Heads into Second Test
New Zealand’s all-round effort — pace, spin, and steady batting — ensured there was never any real contest after Day 1. For Zimbabwe, it was a fifth consecutive Test defeat, despite flashes of promise from Williams, Tsiga, and Muzarabani.
The second and final Test begins August 7, again in Bulawayo, with New Zealand holding all the cards.
Brief Scores: Zimbabwe: 149 & 165 all out in 67.1 overs (Sean Williams 49; Santner 4-27, O’Rourke 3-28, Henry 3-51) New Zealand: 307 all out (Conway 88, Mitchell 80; Muzarabani 3-73) & 8/1 in 2.2 overs. Result: New Zealand won by nine wickets.
