Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st Test

testNew Zealand won by 9 wkts

Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

30 Jul 2025, 1:30 pm IST

Zimbabwe won the toss, chose to bat

Winner: Day 3: 3rd Session - New Zealand

Zimbabwe Inning Score: 149

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	SR
Brian Bennett	c will young b matt henry	6	11	1	54.55
Ben Curran	c will young b matt henry	13	20	1	65
Nick Welch	c michael bracewell b matt henry	27	68	4	39.71
Sean Williams	b nathan smith	2	13	0	15.38
Craig Ervine	lbw b nathan smith	39	116	6	33.62
Sikandar Raza	c tom blundell b matt henry	2	3	0	66.67
Tafadzwa Tsiga	lbw b nathan smith	30	78	5	38.46
Newman Nyamhuri	c will young b matt henry	9	20	1	45
Vincent Masekesa	run out	7	22	0	31.82
Blessing Muzarabani	c santner b matt henry	1	8	0	12.5
Tanaka Chivanga	not out	0	4	0	0

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Wide Balls	Economy
Matt Henry	15.3	3	39	6	0	2.5
William ORourke	13	3	26	0	7	2
Nathan Smith	14	8	20	3	0	1.4
Mitchell Santner	16	4	46	0	0	2.9
Michael Bracewell	2	0	12	0	0	6

New Zealand Inning Score: 307

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Will Young	c nick welch b muzarabani	41	70	4	0	58.57
Devon Conway	c brian bennett b tanaka chivanga	88	170	12	0	51.76
Henry Nicholls	c brian bennett b muzarabani	34	56	6	0	60.71
Rachin Ravindra	c craig ervine b raza	2	10	0	0	20
Daryl Mitchell	b newman nyamhuri	80	119	5	1	67.23
Tom Blundell	c sean williams b tanaka chivanga	2	6	0	0	33.33
Michael Bracewell	c tafadzwa tsiga b muzarabani	9	23	1	0	39.13
Mitchell Santner	c and b vincent masekesa	19	30	1	0	63.33
Nathan Smith	retd out	22	79	1	0	27.85
Matt Henry	b sean williams	5	10	1	0	50
William ORourke	not out	0	4	0	0	0

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Wide Balls	Economy
Blessing Muzarabani	26	5	73	3	0	2.8
Tanaka Chivanga	18	3	51	2	1	2.8
Newman Nyamhuri	16.1	2	64	1	0	4
Sikandar Raza	20	2	63	1	0	3.2
Sean Williams	7	1	23	1	0	3.3
Vincent Masekesa	9	1	29	1	0	3.2

Match Summary

# Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st Test  
### Date: 2025-07-30  
**Venue:** Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo  

## Match Highlights  
New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 9 wickets in a dominant performance. Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell stood out with the bat, while Matt Henry's exceptional bowling sealed the victory. Mitchell Santner also contributed with crucial wickets. Matt Henry was awarded the Player of the Match for his incredible six-wicket haul in Zimbabwe's first innings.  

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## Detailed Narrative  

### **First Innings**  
Zimbabwe opted to bat first after winning the toss. Their batting lineup struggled against New Zealand's disciplined bowling attack, with Matt Henry claiming an exceptional **6 wickets for 39 runs**. Craig Ervine was the top scorer for Zimbabwe with **39 runs** off 116 balls. Tafadzwa Tsiga contributed **30 runs** but lacked support from other batters. Zimbabwe was bowled out for **149** in 60.3 overs.  

In response, New Zealand's batsmen showed resilience, led by **Devon Conway's 88 runs** and **Daryl Mitchell's 80 runs**. Conway played a patient knock, hitting 12 boundaries, while Mitchell accelerated with a strike rate of 67.23. Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani took **3 wickets**, but New Zealand managed to post **307 runs**, gaining a substantial lead of 158 runs.  

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### **Second Innings**  
Zimbabwe's second innings was slightly better but still insufficient to challenge New Zealand. Sean Williams played a fighting knock of **49 runs**, and Tafadzwa Tsiga contributed with **27 runs**. However, Mitchell Santner's **4 wickets for 27 runs** and Matt Henry's consistent performance with **3 wickets for 51 runs** ensured Zimbabwe was bowled out for **165**.  

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### **Final Chase**  
New Zealand chased the target of 8 runs with ease in just 2.2 overs, losing only one wicket. Devon Conway scored **4 runs**, and Henry Nicholls sealed the win with **4 runs off 2 balls**.  

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## Key Performances  

### **Batting Highlights**  
- **Devon Conway**: 88 runs (12 fours)  
- **Daryl Mitchell**: 80 runs (5 fours, 1 six)  
- **Sean Williams**: 49 runs (6 fours)  
- **Craig Ervine**: 39 runs (6 fours)  

### **Bowling Highlights**  
- **Matt Henry**: 6 wickets in the first innings and 3 wickets in the second innings.  
- **Mitchell Santner**: 4 wickets for 27 runs in the second innings.  
- **Blessing Muzarabani**: 3 wickets in New Zealand's first innings.  

### **Interesting Contributions**  
- **Will Young**: Excellent fielding with **3 catches** in the first innings.  
- **Tom Blundell**: Stunning wicketkeeping with **4 catches** in Zimbabwe's second innings.  

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### **Player of the Match**  
**Matt Henry** for his outstanding bowling performance, taking **9 wickets** across both innings.  

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## Summary of Wickets  
### Zimbabwe - First Innings  
1. Brian Bennett (6) - caught by Will Young off Matt Henry  
2. Ben Curran (13) - caught by Will Young off Matt Henry  
3. Nick Welch (27) - caught by Michael Bracewell off Matt Henry  

... *(and more)*  

### Zimbabwe - Second Innings  
1. Brian Bennett (18) - caught by Tom Blundell off William ORourke  
2. Ben Curran (11) - caught by William ORourke off Matt Henry  

... *(and more)*  

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## Conclusion  
New Zealand's comprehensive performance in all departments ensured a dominant victory. Zimbabwe's batting lacked partnerships to counter New Zealand's bowling attack, led by Matt Henry. The visitors showcased their class and started the Test series with a commanding win.