New Zealand Go Big In Bulawayo
Author: Tom Penn
Updated At:
No one expected a closely contested series, let alone a close Test and so it has proved with New Zealand seemingly on their way to another victory over Zimbabwe by a large margin.
After last week's first Test saw the Black Caps win by nine wickets, a scoreline which probably flattered the Chevrons more than the tourists, it looks set to be another thrashing this time around.
A tight Test, this is not!
State of the second Test
Day three will resume with New Zealand leading by 476 runs. Following Zimbabwe's first innings total of 125 all out, New Zealand have piled on the runs since and will begin day three on 601/3, a lead of 476.
What did day two bring?
Day one belonged to Matt Henry who continued his brilliant run of form to lead New Zealand's bowling attack in dismissing Zimbabwe for 125. Will Young and Devon Conway both hit half-centuries but Young didn't make it to the close.
Conway began Friday on 79 with night-watchman and debutant Jacob Duffy on 8. Although Duffy would depart before drinks in the first session, he added another 28 runs to his score and helped lay the foundation for three New Zealand batters to go big.
| Batter | Score |
| Devon Conway | 153 |
| Henry Nicholls | 150* |
| Rachin Ravindra | 165* |
The three Zimbabwe bowlers to have picked up a wicket in this innings are also the only three to have leaked 100+ runs - Blessing Muzarabani, Trevor Gwandu and Vincent Masekasa!
Onto Saturday - Day Three
It certainly looks like New Zealand have enough runs on the board already to almost guarantee an innings victory but maybe they will continue to bat with both Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra eyeing up double-centuries.
They have plenty of firepower to come with Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell the next pair in and there is no rush so the Black Caps could well choose to go beyong their current highest Test score of 715/6!
Whenever their innings ends, and let's be honest, it is likely to be their call to finish it, the onus will return to the strike-bowler Matt Henry who can seemingly do no wrong and should be the first bowler to back when weighing up betting options in this Test.
Henry has taken 56 wickets at an average of 16.05 since late February 2024 and has already picked up one Player of the Match award in this series.
Zimbabwe's batters will be very wary, particularly after he took 5/45 on Thursday!
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