New Zealand crush Zimbabwe in huge innings victory

New Zealand – (Special Correspondent/Web desk) – New Zealand wrapped up a crushing victory by an innings and 359 runs on the third day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Saturday. The result leaves cricket fans talking about one of the most dominant performances in recent Test history.

Zak Foulkes, making his first Test appearance, starred with the ball, taking 5 wickets for just 37 runs. His brilliant spell helped bowl Zimbabwe out for only 117 in their second innings.

Batting at number three, Nic Welch offered rare resistance for the home side. He remained unbeaten on 47, standing almost alone against a relentless New Zealand pace attack.

This victory was the third-largest win by an innings in Test history. Only England’s innings-and-579-run win over Australia in 1938 and Australia’s innings-and-360-run triumph over South Africa in 2002 have been bigger.

England’s historic 1938 win came at The Oval in London, while Australia’s big victory took place in Johannesburg in the 2001/02 season. New Zealand now join this elite list with their dominant performance in Bulawayo.

“We bowled well in the first innings after losing the toss,” said Mitch Santner, who captained New Zealand in both Tests in the absence of the injured Tom Latham.

“And the batsmen got hrough some tough periods with their partnerships and then cashed in.”

New Zealand’s previous biggest win – and Zimbabwe’s previous heaviest defeat – was by an innings and 301 runs when the two teams met in Napier in 2011/12.

Zimbabwe suffered their sixth successive defeat – four of them by an innings – since beating Bangladesh in Sylhet in April.

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New Zealand declared their first innings closed on their overnight total of 601 for three.

It took only three balls for Matt Henry to start the home team’s collapse when he bowled Brian Bennett for his second duck of the match.

Henry had Brendan Taylor caught at second slip and Jacob Duffy caught Sean Williams off his own bowling before Matthew Fisher had Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine held at third slip.

Foulkes, who briefly returned to New Zealand after a triangular Twenty20 series but was recalled after Nathan Smith was injured in the first Test, took the next five wickets.

Foulkes had match figures of nine for 77.

Devon Conway, who scored 153 for New Zealand, was player of the match while Henry, who took 16 wickets across the two matches, was player of the series.