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| Image: NZ Cricket Team |
New Zealand secured a historic and dominant victory over Zimbabwe, winning the second Test in Bulawayo by an innings and 359 runs. This emphatic win completed a 2-0 whitewash for the Kiwis and marked their largest-ever margin of victory in Test cricket history. The match was over in less than two and a half days, a testament to Zimbabwe's complete batting collapse and New Zealand's relentless performance.
New Zealand's dominance began with the bat, as they amassed a mammoth 601 for 3 before declaring their first innings. The foundation was laid by three exceptional centuries. Devon Conway led the charge with a brilliant 153, setting the stage for a massive total. He was joined by a formidable partnership from Rachin Ravindra, who scored an unbeaten 165, and Henry Nicholls, who matched his teammate with a masterful 150 not out. Their formidable performance left Zimbabwe facing a colossal first-innings deficit of 476 runs, a mountain they were never able to climb.
Zimbabwe's struggles with the bat were the defining feature of the series. They were bundled out for just 125 in their first innings and failed to improve in the second, managing a meager 117. The home side's batting lineup consistently failed to build partnerships, and they were all out for under 170 in all four innings of the series.
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In the second innings, only Nick Welch showed any resistance, fighting a lone battle to remain unbeaten on 47 off 71 balls. Without his efforts, their score would have been even lower, highlighting the depth of their batting crisis.
New Zealand's bowling attack was both lethal and clinical. The attack was spearheaded by debutant Zachary Foulkes, who had a dream start to his Test career. Foulkes took a sensational 5 wickets for 37 runs in the second innings, setting a new record for the best-ever bowling figures by a New Zealand bowler on Test debut. He was brilliantly supported by veteran Matt Henry, who followed up his first-innings haul of 5 for 40 with another two wickets, cementing his place as the Player of the Series with a total of 16 wickets. The combined pressure from Henry and Foulkes, along with Jacob Duffy's two wickets, proved too much for the Zimbabwean batsmen.
No series for women’s team as WC nearsThis comprehensive defeat marks Zimbabwe's sixth consecutive Test loss, underscoring a period of significant struggle for their team. In contrast, New Zealand's victory in both the Test and T20 series solidifies their position as an elite cricketing nation, showcasing their strength across all formats of the game.