Zimbabwe crumble to 9 wicket defeat

Zimbabwe's Test cricket struggles continued on home soil as they slumped to a nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand inside three days in the opening match of their two-Test series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

The loss, Zimbabwe's fourth straight in the longest format, was once again marked by a fragile top order, as they failed to match the discipline and intensity of their top-tier opponents. After being dismissed for just 149 in their first innings, the hosts couldn't recover, eventually folding for 165 in their second innings to set New Zealand a meagre target of eight runs  -  which the Black Caps knocked off in just 14 balls.

New Zealand's win was set up by a dominant bowling performance, led by the match's standout player, Matt Henry, who claimed match figures of 9 for 66, including a stunning 6 for 39 in the first innings.

Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons acknowledged the defeat but praised his team's spirit, particularly the performance of the bowling unit, which he said showed encouraging signs.

"Obviously, the way we bowled after tea on Day 1 wasn't great, but the way we came back and challenged New Zealand throughout Day 2 was really pleasing," Sammons said after the match. "We made life difficult for them. Against high-quality opposition with top-class batters, that's the kind of character you want to see."

Sammons highlighted the continued growth of Tanaka Chivanga and the endurance of Blessing Muzarabani, who bowled over 25 overs and maintained his pace and consistency.

However, the coach admitted Zimbabwe's batting remains a concern. While there were flashes of resistance  -  including a first-innings partnership between Tafadzwa Tsiga and Craig Ervine, and a gritty 49 from Sean Williams in the second innings  -  the inability to convert promising starts into meaningful contributions ultimately cost them.

"Batting-wise, we showed little patches, just not for long enough. We're not getting over the line in those crucial moments, and we need to be better," Sammons said.

Zimbabwe's first innings collapse was triggered by a relentless New Zealand pace attack that exploited early movement. Henry tore through the lineup, with only Tsiga (33) offering notable resistance. New Zealand responded with a clinical batting display, reaching 307 on the back of strong half-centuries from Devon Conway (88) and Daryl Mitchell (80), securing a 158-run lead.

In the second innings, nightwatchman Vincent Masekesa and opener Nick Welch fell early, while Santner and Henry removed the experienced Williams and Ervine just before lunch on Day 3. The lower order offered some resistance, with Tsiga and Muzarabani adding a stubborn 36-run partnership, helping Zimbabwe avoid an innings defeat.

Santner led the second-innings bowling charge with 4 for 27, supported by Will O'Rourke (3 for 28) and Henry, who claimed another three scalps.

Despite losing Conway early in the chase, Henry Nicholls completed the formalities with a boundary, sealing the nine-wicket win and handing New Zealand a 1–0 lead in the series.

Speaking after the match, Henry said reading the pitch conditions early gave the Black Caps the edge. "We saw it was doing a little bit on day one, so it was really important to get ahead of the game. As a unit, we bowled really well to put Zimbabwe under pressure."

The second and final Test will be played at the same venue, beginning next Thursday. Zimbabwe will look to bounce back, and fans will be watching closely as former captain Brendan Taylor is set to make his return to the side after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban from international cricket.

With pride on the line and a passionate home crowd behind them, Zimbabwe will hope for a turnaround  -  and for their batting lineup to finally hold its own against elite opposition.