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Matt Henry Bags Nine-Fer As New Zealand Crush Zimbabwe In 1st Test To Take 1-0 Lead

Aakash Saini

Matt Henry celebrating his six-fer against Zimbabwe [Source: @BLACKCAPS/x]Matt Henry celebrating his six-fer against Zimbabwe [Source: @BLACKCAPS/x]

New Zealand outclassed Zimbabwe within two-and-a-half days of the series-opening first Test in Bulawayo to take a 1-0 lead. Matt Henry orchestrated New Zealand’s dominance by picking up nine wickets in the match.

Here, we take a look at the entire highlights of the first Test of the two-match series between Zimbabwe and New Zealand, as it panned out at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo between Wednesday, July 30 and Friday, August 1.

Henry, Rourke And Santner Skittle Zimbabwe

Up against a first innings deficit of 158 runs, Zimbabwe started off Day 3 at 31-2. Both overnight batters, Nick Welch and Vincent Masekesa fell earlier in the day to New Zealand paceman Will O’Rourke, who finished with figures of 3-28. Sean Williams at number five conjured a fighting 49 to take Zimbabwe past the 100-run mark.

Finding a sense of comfort at 110-4, Zimbabwe lost the plot again as New Zealand’s Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner mopped up the hosts tail by the time of reaching just 165 in 67.1 overs. Santner picked up four wickets for just 27 runs while Henry added two to his tally after his opening breakthrough to complete nine for the match.

New Zealand chased down its eight-run target at an expense of Devon Conway in the first over, sealing the match by nine wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

Henry’s Six And Conway’s 88 Set The Tone For NZ

Matt Henry picked up six wickets on Day 1 for 39 and Nathan Smith chipped in with three to fold up Zimbabwe for just 149 in 60.3 overs.

New Zealand mounted a 158-run lead over the hosts by batting out for more than 96 overs. Opener Devon Conway (88) and all-rounder Daryl Mitchell (80) both punched out majestic 80s as the ‘Black Caps’ formed 307 by Day 2.