Matt Henry continued his dream run with the ball as he claimed a second consecutive five-wicket haul to dismantle Zimbabwe for just 125 on the opening day of the second Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. The right-arm seamer’s 5 for 40 backed up his 6 for 39 from the first Test and left the hosts in disarray, despite a spirited comeback innings from Brendan Taylor.
New Zealand then stamped their dominance with the bat. Openers Devon Conway (79*) and Will Young (74) forged a commanding 162-run stand—New Zealand’s third-highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe—as the visitors cruised to 174 for 1 in just 39 overs, leading by 49 runs at stumps.
Foulkes Shines on Debut, Henry Leads Ruthless Attack
Zimbabwe’s decision to bat first backfired almost immediately. The pitch, while drier than in the first Test, offered enough early movement for Henry to exploit with clinical precision.
We thought there might be a little bit in the wicket early and Henry made use of that. It was a little bit more dry than the first Test, so that poses different challenges. We’ll see how it goes the next few days.
Foulkes, part of a pace attack featuring three debutants, claimed the big wicket of Sean Williams and relished the moment.
Yeah, hasn't really sunk in yet. Had three days at home, which was nice, then got back on the big bird over here and had a good day today. Pretty happy with that performance.
On support from the senior pro: “It’s awesome. Matt [Henry] is really taking that leadership role seriously. Anything I need, I go to him and he's happy to help—which is awesome.”
Taylor’s Comeback the Only Highlight for Hosts
Returning to the Zimbabwe side after more than three years, Brendan Taylor top-scored with a gritty 44 off 107 balls. Opening for only the seventh time in his Test career, Taylor looked solid early on, leaving well and defending with assurance. But his dismissal shortly after lunch—chipping Henry to extra cover—ended Zimbabwe’s faint hopes of building a meaningful total.
Taylor’s 143-minute stay was the only real resistance in an innings riddled with poor shot selection and technical lapses. Tafadzwa Tsiga was the only other batter to pass 30, as Zimbabwe’s best partnership was a modest 29 runs.
The collapse was swift and brutal: Brian Bennett fell to an away-swinger from Henry in the day’s ninth ball. Nick Welch survived a drop but was soon trapped lbw. Williams and Craig Ervine—expected to anchor the innings—gave it away with rash strokes.
At lunch, Zimbabwe were tottering at 67 for 4, and their woes only deepened after the break as Henry and the supporting trio of Fisher, Duffy, and Foulkes ran through the lower order with discipline and precision.
Conway, Young Compound Zimbabwe’s Misery
If Zimbabwe’s innings was a disappointment, New Zealand’s response was a masterclass in composure and dominance. Conway and Young batted fluently, dispatching anything loose and rotating the strike smartly. Their 162-run stand was New Zealand’s first 150-plus opening partnership in Tests since 2022, and their fourth century stand together.
Conway was commanding off the back foot, while Young drove beautifully through the covers. By the time Young was dismissed for 74, caught behind off Trevor Gwandu, the damage had already been done.
The gulf in quality between the two sides was once again evident, with New Zealand tightening their grip on the series after a nine-wicket win in the first Test.
Brief Scores – 2nd Test, Day 1: Zimbabwe 125 all out in 48.5 overs (Brendan Taylor 44; Matt Henry 5-40, Zakary Foulkes 4-38) New Zealand 174/1 in 39 overs (Devon Conway 79, Will Young 74; Trevor Gwandu 1-31). New Zealand lead by 49 runs
