Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE put up yet another eyesore of a performance on day one of the second Test against New Zealand at Queens Sports Club on Thursday.
The Chevrons were made to rue their decision to bat first after they had won the toss, scoring a paltry 125 runs, once again struggling with the bat.
New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Will Young put up a 162-run first-wicket partnership.
At stumps, the Blackcaps were on 174/1, leading by 49 runs.
The major highlight of the day for Zimbabwe was the return of Brendan Taylor, who made his first international appearance since 2021.
Taylor, who had retired from cricket in 2021 before he was suspended for breaching the ICC anti-corruption code in 2022, was serving a three-and-a-half-year ban, which ended on July 26.
The veteran batter came into the team in place of Ben Curran in one of the two changes made by the Chevrons going into this match. The other change was Trevor Gwandu, who replaced Newman Nyamhuri.
Taylor opened the batting for Zimbabwe with Brian Bennett.
“I knew it was going to be tough, but just to be out there when I thought, three or four years ago, this would never happen, was special. It was a day of real appreciation, soaking it all in, being with my friends and representing my country; it was a very surreal moment.
“I am a man of God, and I stay very close to Him and He gives me strength to overcome the worst of the worst. He has given me another opportunity to play for Zimbabwe and I am incredibly thankful. I don’t know how, but it’s happening. I was very focused, staying in the present and at the same time taking it one ball at a time and not looking too far ahead. I was just trusting my preparation, I have done a year of extremely intensive work and I learnt a lot today about myself,” said Taylor after the day’s play.
He added: “It’s a good, tough Test cricket wicket. If you look at the moments where we lose wickets, it’s before an interval or a break. If we can tighten up through that, come back again and start rebuilding. There was never really any momentum or partnerships to hold on to. The New Zealanders are so well drilled, they don’t give you much. When they do give you these opportunities, you have to take them and ride out those tough moments for a longer period. Momentum will start to shift back to you, playing can be facing 200 or 250 balls, then you start batting a day or day and a half and put yourselves in a good position.”
Bennett was the first to fall, caught on the slips for a nine-ball duck in the third over, leaving Zimbabwe on 1/1.
Nick Welch was the next batter in at three. He fell in the 15th over, trapped in front for 11 runs after facing 31 deliveries.
It was Matt Henry’s second wicket and at that stage, the Chevrons were on 30/2 in 14.1 overs.
Sean Williams was the third to fall and Zaraky Foulkes’ first Test wicket as he was on debut. The veteran departed for 11 runs after facing 13 balls.
Just when the Chevrons thought they would go to lunch three down, the skipper Craig Ervine attempted to drive a Foulkes delivery and was caught at slips for seven runs off 28 balls in what turned out to be the last delivery of the first session.
Taylor went to the lunch break on 33 runs off 89 deliveries.
Zimbabwe were now four down for 67 runs.
At the start of the second session, Sikandar Raza joined Taylor in the middle.
Taylor, looking solid, fell cheaply for 44 runs off 107 balls. He was caught at extra cover, six runs short of what would have been a brilliant half century on return.
At that stage, the Chevrons were 83/5 and they went on to lose Raza in the following over for five runs off 14 balls, with the score now 83/6.
Trevor Gwandu only lasted two deliveries and was trapped in front for a duck, and Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble on 83/7, losing three wickets without scoring a single run.
Vincent Masekesa was beaten for pace by Matt Henry in the 38th over, bowled for a single run before Henry went on to complete his five-wicket haul by bowling Blessing Muzarabani for three runs.
There was then a 25-run 10th wicket partnership between Tafadzwa Tsiga and Tanaka Chivanga before the latter was caught for four runs off 22 balls.
Tsiga remained unbeaten on a gutsy 33 runs from 54 balls.
Henry finished with figures of 5/40 in 15 overs while Foulkes returned 4/38 in 16 overs. The other wicket was taken by Matt Fisher.
Conway ended day one unbeaten on 79 runs off 120 deliveries while Young was bowled by Gwandu for 74 runs after facing 101 balls.
Jacob Duffy was on an unbeaten eight.
Play resumes at 10AM for day two.
