Published: Jul 31, 2016, 05:40 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 31, 2016, 07:07 PM (IST)
New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by an innings 117 runs to win the first Test of the two-Test series at Bulawayo. The second Test is scheduled to begin from August 6. Ross Taylor was adjudged Man of the Match for his spectacular hundred in the frist innings for his side. Zimbabwe posed a fightback in the second innings to post 295 runs after they fall apart in the first innings at 164 on the opening day of the first Test. New Zealand scored 573 for 6 declared and took a big lead of 412 runs but the last 5 wickets fell after a heartening fightback from the home side. Sean Williams scored his maiden Test hundred to delay the inevitable for the visitors on Day Four of the first Test. With this win, New Zealand take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st Test match
There were a lot of positives for the visitors in this match as Neil Wagner picked up 6 wickets in the first innings to make things worse for the inexperienced home side and push them on the backfoot from Day One. In their batting department, Taylor top scored with an unbeaten 173 runs and in this process also reached his fourteenth Test century. He also became the second highest century maker for New Zealand and is only behind Martin Crowe. ZIM vs NZ 2016, Live Scores, online Cricket Streaming & Latest Match Updates
The other centuries were BJ Watling and Tom Latham while Kane Williamson, their skipper, missed out on a ton by being dismissed for 91. Zimbabwe would still like to take some positives as Williams stood tall for them in the second innings and fought well for his side. They would like to comeback stronger in the last match and again try to compete well against the visitors.
Brief scores:
Zimbabwe 164 (Prince Nasavaure 42, Donald Tiripano 49; Neil Wagner 6 for 41) & 295 (Craig Ervine 50, Sean Williams 119; Trent Boult 4 for 52) lose to New Zealand 576 for 6 decl. (Tom Latham 105, Ross Taylor 173*, BJ Watling 107; Hamilton Masakadza 1 for 25) by an innings and 117 runs.
FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st Test match
(Aditya Sahay is a journalist with CricketCountry who is completely into sports and loves writing about cricket in general. He can be followed on Twitter at adisahay7)
