Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
NEW Zealand took firm control of the opening Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club yesterday, dominating with both ball and bat to end a one-sided first day well on top.
After Craig Ervine won the toss and chose to bat first, hoping to put runs on the board and bring his spinners into play later, the Chevrons crumbled to 149 all out under relentless pressure from the Blackcaps’ seamers. Only Ervine, Tafadzwa Tsiga and Nick Welch showed any real resistance in a batting display that never settled.
By stumps, New Zealand had wiped out most of the deficit, reaching 92 without loss in 26 overs. Openers Devon Conway and Will Young navigated the evening session with composure, leaving the visitors just 57 runs behind and with all ten wickets intact.
Zimbabwe’s early collapse set the tone. Brian Bennett was the first to go, caught at third slip for six off 11 deliveries in just the third over. Matt Henry, leading the Kiwi attack, struck again four overs later as Ben Curran edged to the same region for 13.
Sean Williams chopped on in the 12th over, bowled by Nathan Smith for two, reducing Zimbabwe to 31/3 in under an hour.
A 36-run stand between Ervine and Welch briefly steadied things before Welch fell for 27 off 68 deliveries on the stroke of lunch. Zimbabwe went in at 67/4 and lost another wicket just three balls into the afternoon session, Sikandar Raza edging behind for two to give Henry his fourth.
A stubborn sixth wicket partnership between Ervine and Tsiga added 54 runs, slowing the slide. Ervine’s gritty 39 off 116 deliveries came to an end when he was trapped lbw by Smith. Two overs later, Tsiga followed for 30, also lbw to Smith, leaving Zimbabwe reeling at 136/7.
The tail offered little. Newman Nyamhuri nicked behind for nine to hand Henry a well earned five-for, Vincent Masekesa was run out for seven, and Blessing Muzarabani fell for one. Zimbabwe lost their last three wickets for just 13 runs.
Henry starred with the ball, finishing with 6/39 from 15.3 overs, while Smith claimed 3/20 in 14. They were the only bowlers among the wickets, but all kept the pressure high.
In reply, Conway and Young barely gave Zimbabwe’s bowlers a sniff. Conway reached his 12th Test fifty and closed the day unbeaten on 51 off 87 balls, with eight boundaries. Young looked assured too, finishing on 41 from 69 deliveries.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers toiled with little reward. Muzarabani was the most economical, sending down eight overs for 25 runs with three maidens. Tanaka Chivanga conceded 23 from three overs, Nyamhuri bowled six for 18 with two maidens, and spinners Raza, Williams, and Masekesa shared eight quiet overs towards the close.
Only one over was lost to time. Day two resumes at 10am this morning.
