New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs after just three days
The win helps New Zealand claim the two-match series 2-0
Zimbabwe were skittled for 117, marking their heaviest defeat in Test cricket
New Zealand sealed their biggest-ever red-ball victory against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, winning the second Test by an innings and 359 runs after just three days.
Zakary Foulkes claimed the best figures by a New Zealand player on Test debut (9-75 across both innings) to lead the Black Caps to a comprehensive win following a mammoth batting performance.
After New Zealand declared overnight with a 476-run lead thanks to centuries from Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra on day two, Zimbabwe capitulated in grand fashion, being bowled out inside just 28.1 overs in an extended morning session.
Foulkes, who was drafted into the side as injury cover, took 5-37 in the second innings in an incredible eight-over spell to help dismiss Zimbabwe for their fourth-lowest total against the Black Caps.
The hosts were skittled for 117, marking their heaviest defeat in cricket's longest format.
Matt Henry provided the early breakthrough, snagging the first two wickets of the morning, before Jacob Duffy joined the party with his maiden Test wicket, catching Sean Williams (nine) off his own bowling.
But it was Foulkes’ piercing spell of inswing bowling that dismantled the rest of the lineup, with only Nick Welch (47 not out) providing any sort of resistance.
New Zealand capped off a successful unbeaten tour of Zimbabwe with a 2-0 series win, having also registered a clean sweep in the preceding T20 tri-series.
Data Debrief: Records broken in Bulawayo
New Zealand’s dominant performance in the second Test saw them record the third-biggest win for any team in the longest format, and their biggest ever.
The only two bigger wins came when England won by an innings and 579 runs against Australia in 1938, and when Australia beat South Africa by an innings and 360 runs in 2002.
The Black Caps' previous biggest win coincidentally also came against Zimbabwe, who they beat by an innings and 301 runs in 2012 in Napier.
For Zimbabwe, things went from bad to worse as the defeat marked a sixth consecutive Test loss and the fourth straight innings in this series where they failed to pass 170.
