ZIM Vs NZ, 1st Test: BlackCaps Close In On Victory Against Hapless Zimbabwe In Bulawayo - Data Debrief

New Zealand edged closer to victory in their first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo after another dominant display on day two. 

Zimbabwe finished the day 31-2 after losing the early wickets of Brian Bennett and Ben Curran to leave them 127 runs adrift of the tourists' first-innings' total. 

Devon Conway and Will Young started the day on 51 and 41, respectively, and continued where they left off on Thursday as they looked to put the game beyond Zimbabwe. 

Zimbabwe made the perfect start when Blessing Muzarabani removed Young with the first ball of the day. 

Conway (88) was going well before being caught following a Tanaka Chavinga (2-51) delivery, which was part of a spell that saw New Zealand lose five wickets for 42 runs.

Daryl Mitchell (80) steadied the ship and helped New Zealand build a strong first-innings lead, with the tourists bowled out for 307. 

But the Black Caps seamers made a strong start with the ball as Will O'Rourke (1-18) removed Bennett (18) and Matt Henry (1-11) picked up his seventh wicket of the match after dismissing Ben Curran.

Nick Welch (two not out) and Vicent Masekesa (0 not out) will start day three at the crease as they look to avoid an early defeat in the first of two tests against New Zealand.

Data Debrief: Conway falls short of long-awaited ton

Conway produced a classy innings at the crease, hitting 12 boundaries and scoring at a strike rate of 51.76 to put New Zealand in command of this first Test. 

However, the opening batter will be disappointed to fall short of a century. His last ton came in 2023, while this was just his fourth half-century in 19 innings since the start of 2024.

There was also a special moment for Henry Nicholls on Thursday, whose knock of 34 from 56 deliveries saw him pass the 3,000-run mark in Test cricket, becoming only the 16th player from New Zealand to reach that total in the longest format.