Match Summary: New Zealand 601 for 3 decl (Ravindra 165*, Conway 153, Nicholls 150*) beat Zimbabwe 125 (Taylor 44, Henry 5-40, Foulkes 4-38) and 117 (Welch 47*, Foulkes 5-37) by an innings and 359 runs
An extended first session on the third day was all it took for New Zealand to complete a devastating and embarrassing innings and 359-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.
The emphatic win sealed a 2-0 series victory for the Black Caps, and a tour on which they were completely unbeaten across all formats.
For Zimbabwe, it was a brutal reminder of the gap that exists between them and the world's best.
Trailing by a mammoth 476 runs after New Zealand declared their overnight total of 601 for 3, Zimbabwe's batting line-up was once again exposed.
They were bundled out for just 117 in 28.1 overs, a fourth-lowest score against New Zealand.
This collapse further highlighted the team's alarming inability to show any fight or resolve with the bat.
The innings saw a succession of wickets falling to an incisive New Zealand pace attack led by debutant Zakary Foulkes, who finished with five wickets for 37 runs in the innings.
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Matt Henry, named Player of the Series for his 16 wickets, and fellow debutant Jacob Duffy also made crucial breakthroughs.
The home side's struggles were not confined to the bat. With the ball, the Zimbabwean bowlers were put to the sword by a relentless New Zealand batting lineup.
Devon Conway, who was named man of the match for his 153, along with Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls, all scored centuries, punishing the weary hosts.
The bowlers, who toiled for two days, lacked the discipline and threat to trouble the opposition, as evidenced by the massive total of 601.
After the humiliating defeat, Zimbabwe coach Justin Sammons did not hold back in his assessment of the team's performance.
"We are just so far off the mark, the gulf between the teams is just huge at the moment and results are showing that, performance is showing that," he said.
Sammons highlighted a worrying trend, noting the team's competitive showing in the first match of a series, only to falter heavily in the second.
He was particularly scathing in his critique of the players' lack of resolve, drawing a clear distinction between those who showed character and those who did not.
"You see the mental side of those players who showed fight and those who didn’t.
“That determination and pride has to come from within, the willingness to go the extra mile, to take yourself out of your comfort zone," Sammons stated, contrasting his players with Devon Conway, who was willing to take a few body blows for his team's success.
New Zealand's captain, Mitchell Santner, reflected on a perfect tour for his side, praising the team's ability to adapt to different challenges and conditions.
"The boys have really loved their time here. The boys, you know, looked at home and stepped up which was great to see," he said, attributing their success to a combination of on-field performance and a positive team environment off the field.
The defeat markedZimbabwe's sixth consecutive Test loss and serves as a stark wake-up call for the team and its management.
The gulf in class, both in skill and mental fortitude, was on full display in Bulawayo, and there is clearly a lot of work to be done if they are to compete at the highest level of the game.
