Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st Test Day 1 Live Score and Updates from Bulawayo

India Today

30-07-2025

17:16 IST:42.3: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, No run.
17:16 IST:42.2: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, No run.
17:15 IST:42.1: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, No run.
17:15 IST:DRINKS BREAK. 29/1 in 15.4 overs post Lunch. For those following the Eng-Ind Test series and who had managed to challenge their sleep patterns during the WI-Aus Test series, this is how overrate should be. New Zealand have been redefining the art of patience and consistency and landing the ball on a string while Zimbabwe have been, well, being tested thoroughly. The only reason why wickets have not fallen regularly is because this is not the 'Gabba. There was a chance offered after Raza's dismissal but other than that, there has not been much to trouble the batters. Yet, runs are not coming and it is just a matter of when rather than how, before the Kiwis run through the middle order.
17:10 IST:41.6: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, No run.
17:10 IST:41.5: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, No run.
17:10 IST:41.4: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Tsiga plays a cautious forward defensive stroke, front foot solid, contacting the ball with an outside edge grounded along the pitch.
17:09 IST:41.3: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it well alone.
17:09 IST:41.2: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, A defensive shot played and missed on the front foot by Tafadzwa Tsiga. Superb bowling from Mitchell Santner maintaining his accuracy.
17:08 IST:41.1: Mitchell Santner to Tafadzwa Tsiga, A tidy ball outside off that Tafadzwa Tsiga decides to leave alone.
17:07 IST:40.6: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short ball from O'Rourke, Tsiga goes on the back foot and pulls it with good timing along the ground through mid-wicket for a single.
17:06 IST:40.5: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, no movement off the pitch. Tafadzwa Tsiga decides to leave it alone, showing immense composure and discipline at the crease.
17:06 IST:40.4: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, On a normal length, pitching halfway, Will O'Rourke bowls a tidy delivery. Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it alone.
17:06 IST:40.3: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery from Will O'Rourke, defended off the back foot by Tafadzwa Tsiga. The ball takes an inside edge but is grounded safely.
17:04 IST:40.2: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, no movement on offer, Will O'Rourke keeps it tight. Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it alone with perfect discipline.
17:04 IST:40.1: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, A normal delivery from Will O'Rourke, met with a solid backfoot defense by Tafadzwa Tsiga.
17:04 IST:39.6: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Santner, spinning gently in. Craig Ervine plays a controlled flick off the front foot, defensive and grounded through mid-wicket.
17:02 IST:39.5: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Safely negotiated with a backfoot defensive stroke by Craig Ervine. Inside edge involved.
17:02 IST:39.4: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Perfectly flighted. Ervine plays a good defensive flick off the back foot, grounded and controlled. No runs scored.
17:02 IST:39.3: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Outside off, Craig Ervine leaves it alone with no movement or footwork.
17:01 IST:39.2: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Santner, turning in gently. Craig Ervine plays a solid backfoot defense with good contact, grounded and controlled through the cover region.
17:01 IST:39.1: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Santner, spinning in. Craig Ervine plays a solid frontfoot forward defense, towards mid-wicket.
17:00 IST:38.6: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, FOUR! A short bouncer hurled in by Will O'Rourke and Tafadzwa Tsiga rocks back on the back foot to hook it with attacking intent. But he loses control and the ball flies off the top edge over the keeper, to the fine leg fence.
17:00 IST:38.5: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, Tsiga goes forward and plays a frontfoot flick, meeting the ball on the thigh pad with semi-attacking intent.
16:59 IST:38.4: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, straight and steady. Tafadzwa Tsiga plays a solid forward defensive shot with good frontfoot movement, keeping the ball grounded and under control.
16:58 IST:38.3: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length, an attempted flick off the back foot, getting hit on the pads with semi-attacking intent from Tafadzwa Tsiga.
16:58 IST:38.2: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, pushed defensively with a frontfoot stride, the ball takes an outside edge but stays grounded. Will O'Rourke keeps up the pressure with another dot.
16:57 IST:38.1: Will O'Rourke to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short bouncer from Will O'Rourke, Tafadzwa Tsiga ducks it out smartly with no movement.
16:57 IST:Double change. Will O'Rourke comes back. 8-2-18-0 so far.
16:56 IST:37.6: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Good length ball from Santner, flight on display. Craig Ervine pushes it defensively on the front foot, well-timed and grounded towards mid-wicket.
16:55 IST:37.5: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Craig Ervine plays a cautious backfoot defensive stroke, making an inside edge contact with the grounded bat control.
16:55 IST:37.4: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Craig Ervine gets forward and plays a good defensive flick along the ground with crisp front foot movement.
16:55 IST:37.3: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Mitchell Santner, Craig Ervine steps forward and unleashes a powerful slog sweep through mid-wicket. The two runs come with no fielder able to stop it. Superb attacking intent!
16:54 IST:37.2: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, A gentle pushed shot on the front foot from Craig Ervine.
16:54 IST:37.1: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, FOUR! GLORIOUS! Full, on middle, Craig Ervine gets down and sweeps it to the square leg fence.
16:54 IST:Mitchell Santner returns. 4-1-13-0 so far.
16:53 IST:36.6: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length delivery, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets beaten on front foot, and is hit on the thigh pad. Superb bowling discipline from Matt Henry keeping the pressure tight with dot ball number 62. Maiden over territory for New Zealand! Brilliant bowling display!
16:51 IST:36.5: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Another edge! Tsiga pushes at it again, gets another outside edge, but this time, the ball lands short of third slip!
17:01 IST:36.4: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, EDGED, SHORT! Short of good length delivery, Tsiga goes back and defends it solidly but the ball nips back in, squaring him up. The outside edge is taken and the ball lands short of the diving keeper, to his right!
16:50 IST:36.3: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery, Tafadzwa Tsiga defends forward with solid frontfoot technique, perfectly grounded contact.
16:50 IST:36.2: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward, plays a solid defensive flick on the front foot, grounded nicely to mid-wicket.
16:50 IST:36.1: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length ball on long off, Matt Henry angling in with a normal delivery. Tafadzwa Tsiga uses solid frontfoot forward defense, grounding the bat with good contact.
16:50 IST:35.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short of good length, angled in from Nathan Smith. Craig Ervine goes back foot, jumps slightly and flicks it defensively through mid-wicket with good contact and grounded bat speed.
16:50 IST:35.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Normal delivery, Craig Ervine plays a solid forward defense off the front foot with good contact, keeping it grounded.
16:53 IST:35.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, DROPPED! Angled in delivery from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine pushes it with a semi-attacking intent back to the bowler, who cannot hang on.
16:46 IST:35.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery, Craig Ervine steps forward confidently and plays a grounded straight drive through mid on. Semi-attacking intent with good contact and solid front foot movement. Smooth execution but no run taken.
16:46 IST:35.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length outswinger from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine leaves it alone with no movement.
16:46 IST:35.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short bouncer from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine just leaves it alone, no movement forward or back.
16:45 IST:34.6: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length, an outswinger from Matt Henry, Tafadzwa Tsiga plays no shot, leaving it perfectly.
16:43 IST:34.5: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Short ball from Matt Henry, Craig Ervine rocks back and pulls with good connection along the ground. Smart running between wickets, picks up a single.
16:43 IST:34.4: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery, Craig Ervine steps forward with a solid frontfoot defense.
16:42 IST:34.3: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Good length, angled in from Matt Henry, Craig Ervine gets on his front foot and plays a good quality flick through mid-wicket. Grounded shot with excellent timing, racing away for two runs.
16:42 IST:34.2: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Bouncer pitched halfway, Craig Ervine ducks back. Superb bowling! Matt Henry keeps the pressure building with a probing short ball.
16:41 IST:34.1: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, A normal delivery from Matt Henry, nicely defended back foot by Craig Ervine with good contact, and the ball stays grounded.
16:40 IST:33.6: Nathan Smith to Tafadzwa Tsiga, A normal delivery from Nathan Smith, right arm, and Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it alone. Brilliant discipline shown by the batter, letting that one go by with perfect judgment.
16:40 IST:33.5: Nathan Smith to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length, a normal delivery from Nathan Smith. Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it alone with no movement. The Zimbabwe innings trudges on to 82 for 5 with a run rate of 2.42 in the 34th over.
16:39 IST:33.4: Nathan Smith to Tafadzwa Tsiga, FOUR! GLORIOUS! What a magnificent off drive from Tafadzwa Tsiga! Full ball length, played with superb frontfoot movement, grounded and with good connection through mid off. Absolutely beautiful cricket! Nathan Smith will be rueing that full delivery. Pure class on display.
16:38 IST:33.3: Nathan Smith to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery, solid forward defensive stroke from Tafadzwa Tsiga, front foot planted with excellent timing. The ball is calmly blocked to gully, grounded and safe. Superb bowling, disciplined line and length, no run taken.
16:37 IST:33.2: Nathan Smith to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short ball from Nathan Smith, kept well at bay by Tafadzwa Tsiga with no movement. Left alone, a patient response here.
16:37 IST:33.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Normal delivery, Craig Ervine leans forward and plays a semi-attacking off drive with an inside edge, keeping it grounded. Front foot movement shows intent to rotate the strike. The batsmen sneak through for a well-timed single.
16:36 IST:32.6: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Outswinger, short of good length, Matt Henry steaming in with precision. Tafadzwa Tsiga reads it perfectly and leaves it alone.
16:36 IST:32.5: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, FOUR! BEAUTIFUL! What a stroke! A perfect leg glance on the back foot by Tafadzwa Tsiga, executed with attacking intent and crisp contact. The ball races along the ground, caressing the boundary as Matt Henry looks on. He will not be pleased with that, as he bowled it on the pads.
16:35 IST:32.4: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, A normal length delivery from Matt Henry, Tafadzwa Tsiga comes forward but is beaten completely.
16:34 IST:32.3: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal length delivery, Tafadzwa Tsiga plays a solid back foot defense with good contact, grounded firmly.
16:34 IST:32.2: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Bouncer from Matt Henry, short and rising sharply! Tafadzwa Tsiga ducks with perfect composure, no movement forward or back, expertly leaving it alone.
16:33 IST:32.1: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery from Matt Henry, Tafadzwa Tsiga pushes it with a semi-attacking intent on the front foot. Clean contact, grounded shot with controlled placement.
16:32 IST:31.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Angled in delivery, Craig Ervine moves forward with a solid front foot defense, playing it along the ground with good contact.
16:32 IST:31.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Angled in delivery from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine is beaten on the front foot, getting hit on the pads.
16:31 IST:31.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short of good length, seamed out by Nathan Smith. Craig Ervine on the front foot, plays a solid defensive shot but is beaten.
16:30 IST:31.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short ball from Nathan Smith, rising sharply! Craig Ervine stays solid on the back foot. Brilliant reflexes from Tom Blundell behind the stumps puts in a strong dive and prevents four runs with pure wicket-keeping excellence! Superb bowling and fielding combo keeping Zimbabwe under pressure.
16:30 IST:31.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short ball from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine gets on the front foot but is beaten with a defensive shot.
16:29 IST:31.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Normal delivery, Craig Ervine gets on the back foot and pushes it with good defensive intent, grounded perfectly. Zimbabwe are 73 for 5 in the 32nd over.
16:29 IST:30.6: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Angled in delivery from Matt Henry, Craig Ervine pushes it with a semi-attacking intent but gets a leading edge, keeping it grounded on the front foot. Smart running between the wickets as he takes a single.
16:27 IST:30.5: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Angled in delivery from Matt Henry, Craig Ervine leaves it alone with no movement.
16:27 IST:30.4: Matt Henry to Craig Ervine, Short of good length, angled in by Matt Henry, Craig Ervine decides to leave it alone with no movement. Superb discipline from the batter, letting the ball go without offering a shot.
16:26 IST:30.3: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery, punched with good frontfoot intent through the cover region, grounded and controlled. Smooth execution by Tafadzwa Tsiga. Smart cricket on display as he picks up a quick single.
16:25 IST:30.2: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length, a normal delivery from Matt Henry. Tafadzwa Tsiga goes for a solid front foot defense, making good contact, with a grounded shot.
16:25 IST:30.1: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery from Matt Henry, a normal ball on a good length. Tafadzwa Tsiga uses his front foot to play a neat flick, showing good connection with the grounded shot. Smart running brings two runs here.
16:24 IST:29.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, A solid, forward defensive stroke from Craig Ervine, front foot, good contact keeping it grounded.
16:23 IST:29.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine takes a solid frontfoot stride but is beaten by the ball. Defensive intent is clear, but no contact this time. Superb bowling pressure maintained with dot ball number 40 for Smith. Tight cricket here!
16:23 IST:29.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, A solid forward defense from Craig Ervine, front foot planted firmly, good contact and grounded shot. Nathan Smith delivers a normal ball, met with disciplined defense.
16:22 IST:29.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery, a solid defensive push on the front foot by Craig Ervine. Grounded contact, nothing loose there!
16:22 IST:29.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length delivery from Nathan Smith, perfectly met by Craig Ervine's front foot cover drive. Attacking intent, good contact, and the ball stays grounded - pure cricketing poetry in motion.
16:21 IST:29.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short of good length bouncer from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine leaves it well alone with no movement.
16:20 IST:28.6: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length delivery, and Tafadzwa Tsiga leaves it well alone no foot movement, no poke, just smart judgment.
16:20 IST:28.5: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Full ball, good length, Tafadzwa Tsiga pushes it semi-attacking on the front foot towards mid off with good contact, grounded shot.
16:19 IST:28.4: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length delivery, Tafadzwa Tsiga plays a solid forward defense on the front foot, good contact with the ball grounded.
16:19 IST:28.3: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length outside off, Matt Henry bowls a normal delivery. Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward with a defensive shot, shoulder of the bat meeting the ball with an aerial trajectory. Solid frontfoot work, playing it safely to deep third.
16:18 IST:28.2: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Short of good length, Matt Henry delivers a normal ball, Tafadzwa Tsiga decides to leave it alone with no movement.
16:17 IST:28.1: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Normal delivery, a solid forward defense played with good contact, grounded along the pitch, frontfoot movement by Tafadzwa Tsiga.
16:16 IST:27.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short ball from Nathan Smith, testing Craig Ervine on the front foot. The left-hander goes for a defensive shot but is beaten!
16:16 IST:27.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, A normal delivery from Nathan Smith, the ball defended off the back foot by Craig Ervine with a grounded edge on the pad. Solid defensive intent, no run taken.
16:15 IST:27.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, A normal delivery from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine moves forward with a solid front foot and plays a good forward defensive stroke, keeping it grounded with perfect control.
16:15 IST:27.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Short ball from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine lunges forward but is beaten completely! Defensive intent, front foot movement, but no contact. Superb bowling!
16:14 IST:27.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Outswinger from Nathan Smith, Craig Ervine gets beaten on the front foot completely! Defensive attempt, no contact at all. Superb bowling discipline, dot ball added to his tally. Brilliant persistence from the bowler as the pressure builds on Zimbabwe's middle order.
16:14 IST:27.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Normal delivery, Craig Ervine pushes it forward with a solid front foot defense, good contact, and a grounded bat.
16:14 IST:26.6: Matt Henry to Tafadzwa Tsiga, Good length ball, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward with a solid defensive stroke, edging the ball onto his pad. Grounded and controlled, front foot technique on display. Superb bowling discipline from Matt Henry, keeping the pressure up.
16:12 IST:Tafadzwa Tsiga walks in next, at number 7, replacing Sikandar Raza.
16:13 IST:26.5: Matt Henry to Sikandar Raza, OUT! SENSATIONAL! Caught behind by Tom Blundell off Matt Henry's bouncer! Sikandar Raza tried a back foot defensive shot, jumping slightly but only managed to get hit on the glove and that's a sharp catch from the wicket-keeper! Zimbabwe 69 for 5 in the 27th over. What a brilliant piece of fast bowling artistry!
16:10 IST:26.4: Matt Henry to Sikandar Raza, Seamed in delivery from Matt Henry, Sikandar Raza pushes it defensively off the back foot with good contact, keeping it grounded. Superb bowling discipline here no run scored.
16:10 IST:26.3: Matt Henry to Sikandar Raza, Normal delivery, Sikandar Raza goes back foot and executes a good attacking leg glance along the ground. Brilliant timing and excellent bat speed! Two runs taken confidently.
16:10 IST:The players are back out in the middle. There was some turn on purchase in the morning session, so we could see even more of that as the sun beats down hard. Sikandar Raza has walked out at number 6, alongside skipper Craig Ervine, after the fall of Welch's wicket, and the duo will aim for a partnership in the first place. Here we go then, Henry to resume.
16:08 IST:It was a difficult opening session for the home side. But from what we have seen in the previous matches, especially when South Africa toured the country, the first session has always been kind of a havoc for batters. In the afternoon though, the deck usually settles down and batting is a lot easier. That's why that wicket of Welch would be hurting the hosts the most, because having faced 67 balls prior to his dismissal, he would have done a lot better in the second session.
16:07 IST:... DAY 1, SESSION 2 ...
15:39 IST:Matt Henry has been the pick of the bowlers, claiming three wickets, while Nathan Smith also chipped in with a scalp. In the second session, Zimbabwe will need to start anew and get their scoreboard ticking if they want to get back into the game. Can Craig Ervine, alongside Sikandar Raza and others, build a substantial partnership and take the hosts out of trouble? The battle resumes after Lunch at 10.38 am GMT.
15:37 IST:However, the partnership between Nick Welch and Craig Ervine was showing promise, with both batters playing carefully and rotating the strike. However, just before Lunch, Mitchell Santner's astute bowling change brought Matt Henry back into the attack, which paid off for the Kiwis. Nick Welch edged a delivery straight to Michael Bracewell at slip, falling victim to Henry's skill. The wicket came at a crucial time, right on the stroke of Lunch, with Zimbabwe still in a precarious position at 67/4.
15:31 IST:The first session of Day 1 has come to a close, with New Zealand dominating the proceedings. Zimbabwe's batting unit struggled, managing 67 runs in 26.2 overs for the loss of 4 wickets. The top three batters were dismissed with just 31 runs on the board, putting the hosts in a precarious position.
15:30 IST:26.2: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, OUT! TAKEN! Matt Henry strikes again! A hammer blow to Zimbabwe on the stroke of Lunch. This is an inspired bowling change from the Kiwi skipper. Henry lands this one back of a length and just around off, holds its line. Nick Welch gets tempted and pushes hard at it, but without much footwork. Gets a thick outside edge towards second slip where Michael Bracewell takes a sharp catch. Welch's resistance is finally broken as he departs for 27 off 68, and Zimbabwe are 67/4. THAT WILL BE LUNCH ON DAY 1!
15:28 IST:26.1: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, On a length and on middle, Nick Welch blocks it out.
15:27 IST:25.6: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Quicker, full and on middle, Craig Ervine keeps it out to the off side.
15:27 IST:25.5: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, FOUR! Good effort in the deep, but in vain! Looped up, full and around middle, Craig Ervine goes down and connects with his reverse sweep towards deep point. Will O'Rourke covers his ground to his right and dives but only to parry it away to the third man fence for a boundary.
15:26 IST:25.4: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Slows it up, full and on off, Craig Ervine fends it away.
15:26 IST:25.3: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Flighted, full and on middle, Craig Ervine blocks it out in front of short leg.
15:25 IST:25.2: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Goes short and on middle and leg, Craig Ervine stays back and looks to clip it away but gets an inside edge on the pads as the ball drops in front of leg slip.
15:25 IST:25.1: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Floated, full and on middle, turns down the leg side, Craig Ervine leaves it alone.
15:24 IST:24.6: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, Fires one full and on middle, Nick Welch strides out and dead-bats it.
15:24 IST:24.5: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, A bit short and on middle, Nick Welch stays back and clips it to square leg.
15:23 IST:24.4: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, Looped up, full and on middle, Nick Welch defends it on the front foot.
15:22 IST:24.3: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, FOUR! Fine shot! To the other side this time! Flighted, full and on middle and off, Nick Welch gets a bit off balance but executes the reverse sweep to perfection through point for another boundary.
15:22 IST:24.2: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, Floated, short and on middle, turns away a long way to the leg side, Nick Welch leaves it alone.
15:22 IST:24.1: Michael Bracewell to Nick Welch, FOUR! The runs are starting to come now! Tossed up, full and on middle, turns in, Nick Welch goes down to get inside the line and sweeps it nicely with the turn through square leg for a boundary.
15:21 IST:23.6: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Flighted, full and on middle, Craig Ervine clips it to short mid-wicket.
15:20 IST:23.5: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Shortish and on middle and off, Craig Ervine stays back and keeps it out on the pitch.
15:20 IST:23.4: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Drags his length back and on off, Craig Ervine punches it to cover-point.
15:20 IST:23.3: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Tossed up, full and on middle, Craig Ervine turns it to the leg side.
15:19 IST:23.2: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Arm ball, full and on middle, angling in, Nick Welch looks to work it away but gets an inside edge past short leg and towards the fine leg region. Three runs taken.
15:18 IST:23.1: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, FOUR! Nick Welch gets into the act now! Floated, full and on off, Welch goes down and drags his sweep beautifully to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary. 50 up for Zimbabwe!
15:17 IST:22.6: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, FOUR! Great shot! Flatter, full and on middle, angling in, Craig Ervine goes down on one knee and nails the sweep to the deep square leg fence for a boundary,
15:16 IST:22.5: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, Quicker, full and on middle, Craig Ervine turns it to the leg side.
15:16 IST:22.4: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, Lovely bowling! Gives this one some more air, full and on middle, turns away sharply, Craig Ervine gets drawn into his defensive stroke but the ball spins past the outside edge.
15:16 IST:22.3: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, Flighted, full and on off, turns away, Craig Ervine strides out but only to leave it alone.
15:15 IST:22.2: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, Tossed up, full and on off, Craig Ervine gets forward and blocks it out.
15:15 IST:22.1: Michael Bracewell to Craig Ervine, Floated, short and around off, Craig Ervine moves back and punches it to cover-point.
15:14 IST:21.6: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Loops it up, full and on off, Nick Welch strides out and fends it away.
15:13 IST:21.5: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Pushed through quicker, full and on off, angling in, Nick Welch taps it out to short covers.
15:13 IST:21.4: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Flighted, full and on middle, Nick Welch defends it on the front foot.
15:12 IST:21.3: Mitchell Santner to Craig Ervine, Flatter, full and on middle, Craig Ervine decides to stay back and clips it through square leg for a run.
15:12 IST:21.2: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Goes short and on middle, Nick Welch moves back and nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.
15:11 IST:21.1: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, RIPPER! Tossed up, full and on off, turns away slightly, Nick Welch prods forward to block but gets beaten on the outside edge.
15:10 IST:20.6: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Much better! Goes a bit fuller and on off, moves away, Craig Ervine plays inside the line of it as the ball goes through to the keeper.
15:09 IST:20.5: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Hard length and around off, shaping further away, Craig Ervine offers no shot at it. This line or length will not bother Ervine.
15:09 IST:20.4: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Will O'Rourke bangs in a sharp bouncer, on middle, Craig Ervine just about manages to get out of the way.
15:08 IST:20.3: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Short but way, way outside off, Craig Ervine leaves it alone.
15:07 IST:20.2: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Good-length delivery and around off, shaping away a bit, Craig Ervine has a feel for it, but the ball zips past the outside edge. Ervine gets squared up here.
15:07 IST:20.1: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, BEATEN! Short of a length and on the fifth stump line, holds its line nicely, Craig Ervine stays back to play at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.
15:05 IST:19.6: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Flatter, full and outside off, not much turn this time, Nick Welch leaves it alone.
15:05 IST:19.5: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Goes short and on off, Nick Welch dabs it down to point.
15:05 IST:19.4: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, And again! Flighted, full and on off, turns away again, Nick Welch decides against playing at it at the last moment.
15:04 IST:19.3: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, TURN AND BOUNCE! Slower through the air, full and around off, grips and turns away with bounce, Nick Welch has a poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.
15:04 IST:19.2: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, A bit short and on middle, Nick Welch stays back and keeps it out on the pitch.
15:03 IST:19.1: Mitchell Santner to Nick Welch, Tossed up, full and on off, Nick Welch prods forward and blocks it out.
15:02 IST:18.6: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, FOUR! Gets off the mark finally after 22 balls! Will O'Rourke goes a bit too full this time, on off. Craig Ervine presents the full face of the bat, gets his front foot closer to the ball, and drives it gloriously to the long off fence for a boundary.
15:01 IST:18.5: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Touch fuller and on off, Nick Welch taps it in front of short covers for a quick single.
15:01 IST:18.4: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Hard-length delivery, on off, jags back in a long way, Nick Welch leaves it on length as the ball goes well above the stumps.
15:00 IST:18.3: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Bangs this one into the pitch, outside off, Nick Welch offers no shot at it.
15:00 IST:18.2: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Signs of intent! Back of a length and on middle, Nick Welch rocks back and looks to pull it away but only manages to cue-end it on the pitch.
14:58 IST:18.1: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Short of a length and on off, shaping back in, Nick Welch watches it through and leaves it alone.
14:57 IST:17.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, On a length and on middle, Craig Ervine nudges it to short mid-wicket.
14:57 IST:17.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Fuller and on off, Craig Ervine covers the line of the ball and blocks it out.
14:57 IST:17.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Ouch! Short of a length and on middle, jags back in with extra bounce this time, Craig Ervine fails to put bat on that and gets hit on his midriff.
14:56 IST:17.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Hits the length hard, on middle, nipping in sharply, Craig Ervine looks to work it away but gets cramped up as the ball thuds him on the back pad.
14:55 IST:17.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length and on the sixth stump line, angles in, Craig Ervine lifts his bat and lets it go to the keeper.
14:54 IST:17.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Starts with a bouncer, on middle, Craig Ervine ducks under it.
14:53 IST:16.6: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Hard length but angling down the leg side, Nick Welch offers no shot at it.
14:53 IST:16.5: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Back of a length and on middle, angling into the body of the batter, Nick Welch manages well and drops it down to the leg side.
14:52 IST:16.4: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Sharp bowling! A quick bouncer now, on middle, angling in, Nick Welch ducks under it well.
14:51 IST:16.3: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Short of a length and on off, angling in, Nick Welch watches it through and leaves it alone.
14:51 IST:16.2: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Good length and on off, nips back in again, Nick Welch strides out to block but misses and gets hit high on the pads.
14:50 IST:16.1: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, FOUR! Gets it away! Will O'Rourke bangs this one short and on off, jags back in sharply and climbs up on the batter. Nick Welch just about gets on top and steers it uppishly, but between third slip and gully for a boundary.
14:49 IST:15.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Pulls his length back a bit, on off, Craig Ervine keeps it out to the off side. Ervine has faced 16 balls but is yet to get off the mark here. All 3's on the board. Zimbabwe are 33/3 after 16 overs!
14:48 IST:15.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Full again and around off, Craig Ervine drives it to short covers.
14:48 IST:15.4: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, Just short! Pitched up and on middle, Nick Welch looks to flick it away but fails to keep it down. It goes aerially towards silly mid on but just drops in front of the fielder, who parries it away. They cross.
14:46 IST:15.3: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, Good length and on off, Nick Welch covers his stumps and blocks it out.
14:46 IST:15.2: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, Back of a length and on middle, angling down the leg side, Nick Welch leaves it alone. Tom Blundell, the keeper, dives to his left a bit too early but adjusts well to extend his right hand to collect it. If he missed, the ball could have easily hit the helmet behind and cost five runs
14:45 IST:15.1: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, JAFFA! Fuller in length and in the corridor of uncertainty, shaping away, Nick Welch gets drawn forward into his defensive stroke but gets beaten on the outside edge.
14:44 IST:14.6: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Hits the length hard again and around off, takes off sharply, Craig Ervine once again plays well inside the line and lets it go.
14:44 IST:14.5: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Back of a length, but much closer to the batter this time, shapes away a touch, Craig Ervine plays inside the line of it as the ball goes through to the keeper.
14:43 IST:14.4: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Short of a length and well outside off, takes off and shapes away too, still moving after passing the stumps. Craig Ervine leaves it alone.
14:42 IST:14.3: Will O'Rourke to Craig Ervine, Full again and on middle, Craig Ervine clips it to short mid-wicket.
14:42 IST:14.2: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Much better! Fuller and on off, shapes in, Nick Welch looks to push it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls wide of short covers. A single taken.
14:41 IST:14.1: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Errs in line and bangs this short but way down the leg side, Nick Welch leaves it alone.
14:39 IST:13.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, On a length and on middle, Craig Ervine gets behind the line of it and blocks it out.
14:40 IST:13.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, BEAUTY! Hits the length hard and in that channel outside off, threatens to angle in but straightens after hitting the deck. Craig Ervine gets a bit squared up as the ball zips past the outside edge. There is an appeal for caught behind, but turned down.
14:38 IST:13.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Play and a miss! Good set up from Nathan Smith! He bowled three balls that angled in before this one. This time he lands this back of a length around off, gets this to shape away. Craig Ervine stays back and has a feel for it, but gets beaten on the outside edge.
14:38 IST:13.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Pitched up and on off, shapes in a shy bit, Craig Ervine looks to go for the drive but gets a bottom edge towards short mid-wicket.
14:37 IST:13.2: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Fuller again and on off, angling into the stumps, Craig Ervine gets half-forward and blocks it out.
14:37 IST:13.1: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Nathan Smith from around the wicket, serves this full and on middle, angling in, Craig Ervine tucks it to short mid-wicket.
14:36 IST:DRINKS! Not an ideal first hour for the hosts, as they have lost three key wickets with nothing much on the board. Only Nick Welch has shown some kind of resistance, but he will need to make the most of it and not throw his wicket away as well. Zimbabwe are in desperate need of a partnership here, or they could be skittled out pretty quickly. New Zealand and their pacers have been fantastic with the new ball and are asking all the right questions. Matt Henry has already picked up a couple, while Nathan Smith got the big fish, and they are hungry for more before the end of the session.
14:32 IST:12.6: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Good length on off, Nick Welch defends this off his front foot.
14:31 IST:12.5: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, This red cherry is doing the talking for Matt Henry and the Kiwis. Good length, around off, shaping away from the batter this time. Nick Welch shadows the front foot defensive stroke and gets beaten.
14:31 IST:12.4: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Another one on a length, around off. Nick Welch presses in front and blocks this out.
14:31 IST:12.3: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Back of a length, on top of off, Nick Welch defends this solidly off the front foot.
14:30 IST:12.2: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Short and wide outside off, Nick Welch leaves it all alone.
14:29 IST:12.1: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, On a length, shaping back into the batter. Nick Welch looks to block this out but gets beaten and gets hit on his thigh pad.
14:28 IST:11.6: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length outside off, Craig Ervine looks for the front foot defensive stroke but gets beaten.
14:28 IST:11.5: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Length dragged further back with the ball nipping back into the batter. Craig Ervine gets beaten on his inside and the ball sails back to the keeper.
14:27 IST:11.4: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Back of a length around off, Craig Ervine leaves it all alone.
14:27 IST:11.3: Nathan Smith to Craig Ervine, Good length, on the pads. Craig Ervine misses out on the flick and gets hit on his pads.
14:26 IST:Craig Ervine walks out next to bat.
14:25 IST:11.2: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, OUT! CHOPPED ON! Nathan Smith gets a big wicket here! Back of a length, shaping back into the batter. Sean Williams moves to his leg and looks to block this away from his body, but gets cramped up. Edges it off the inside, and the ball has chopped back onto the stumps. Zimbabwe are three down now!
14:24 IST:11.1: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, Good length on off, Sean Williams defends this off his front foot.
14:23 IST:10.6: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, On a length, shaping back into the batter. Nick Welch looks to defend this off his front foot but gets beaten and wears it on his pads. A loud appeal for LBW but the umpire remains unmoved. Height might have saved Nick here.
14:22 IST:10.5: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, BEAUTY! Back of a length, angling in and shaping away after pitching. Nick Welch goes deep inside his crease, looking to block this out but gets beaten on the outside.
14:21 IST:10.4: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Pitched a touch too full, on the pads, Nick Welch flicks this through mid-wicket and runs two.
14:21 IST:10.3: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Back of a length around off, Nick Welch hops up on his toes and defends this out.
14:20 IST:10.2: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Good length, wide of off, Nick Welch pokes at it and gets beaten.
14:19 IST:10.1: Matt Henry to Sean Williams, A single as Sean Williams flicks this length delivery off his back foot for a strike rotation.
14:18 IST:9.6: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, Another one banged short and into the batter. Nick Welch blocks this out.
14:17 IST:9.5: Nathan Smith to Nick Welch, Excellent from Nathan Smith. Hits that nagging length around 8m. Gets the ball to nip back into the batter. Nick Welch was late in bringing his bat down and saw the ball go past his off stump. This was not far from the top of the off stump.
14:17 IST:9.4: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, Touch too full, on off. Sean Williams gets right on top of it and drops this gently in front of cover and takes a sharp single.
14:16 IST:9.3: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, Back of a length, angling into the batter. Sean Williams defends this towards square leg this time.
14:15 IST:9.2: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, Good length around off, Sean Williams solidly punches this to point for no run.
14:14 IST:9.1: Nathan Smith to Sean Williams, Short-pitched, into the batter. Sean Williams takes the bottom hand off the handle and drops this down.
14:13 IST:8.6: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Good length on off, Nick Welch throws his bat at it but gets beaten.
14:12 IST:8.5: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Another fuller delivery, on the pads. Nick Welch goes for the flick but misses out. The ball hits him on his pads and rolls towards the leg side for no run.
14:13 IST:8.4: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Pitched-up around off, Nick Welch leans on nicely and drives this through cover for two.
14:11 IST:8.3: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Touch fuller, around middle and leg. Nick Welch hops up on his toes and jams this to mid-wicket for no run.
14:10 IST:8.2: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Good length, wide of off, Nick Welch leaves it all alone. This shaped away from the batter.
14:10 IST:8.1: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Good length on the pads. Nick Welch tucks this towards short leg for no run.
14:09 IST:7.6: Will O'Rourke to Sean Williams, On a length, angling into the batter and shaping away after pitching. Sean Williams rocks onto his back foot and keeps it out.
14:08 IST:7.5: Will O'Rourke to Sean Williams, On a length, wide of off, shaping away. Sean Williams shoulder arms to it.
14:07 IST:7.4: Will O'Rourke to Sean Williams, Good length, wide of off. Sean Williams leaves it.
14:07 IST:7.3: Will O'Rourke to Sean Williams, Short-pitched, arond middle and leg. Cramping Sean deep into his crease. Sean Williams sits under and lets it go back to the keeper.
14:06 IST:7.2: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, LEG BYE! On a length, drifting down the leg. Nick Welch goes for the flick but misses. Gets it clipped off the pads towards short fine leg for one.
14:05 IST:7.1: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Back of a length around off, Nick Welch leaves this. It is a good leave from Nick considering this wasn't far from the stumps.
14:05 IST:6.6: Matt Henry to Sean Williams, Henry has got the top order of Zimbabwe in some trouble. Hits the hard length, around off, the ball shoots up on the batter. Sean Williams looks to block this but gets an outside edge that lands short of point.
14:04 IST:6.5: Matt Henry to Sean Williams, On a length around the pads, Sean Williams blocks this out.
14:03 IST:Sean Williams walks out next to bat.
14:03 IST:6.4: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! It is the same combination of Matt Henry and Will Young that troubles Zimbabwe. Pitched-up, on off. Ben Curran goes for the straight drive but the ball shapes a hint away and that was enough to find the outside edge of Ben Curran's bat. Will Young made no mistake and took another good low catch this time to his right for Ben's dismissal. Zimbabwe lose both the openers!
14:00 IST:6.3: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Good length, on off, Ben Curran defends this off his front foot.
14:00 IST:6.2: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, FOUR! Short-pitched, around middle and off, Ben Curran gets into a good position to pull this one and nails the pull for a boundary through the mid-wicket region. Ben might not be very confident on the short-pitched deliveries but he played that well this time.
13:59 IST:6.1: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Good length around off, angling away from the batter. Ben leaves it.
13:58 IST:5.6: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Short and wide of off. Nick Welch leaves it all alone.
13:58 IST:5.5: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Good length on off, Nick Welch leaves it. The ball moves in after leaving the batter.
13:57 IST:5.5: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, FIVE WIDES! Bumper, way too high for the umpire's liking. Nick Welch leaves it all alone as he drops his guard. The ball bounced even over the keeper and it races away to the fence for four behind the stumps.
13:56 IST:5.4: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Full and wide outside off, Nick Welch leaves it all alone.
13:56 IST:5.3: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Hits that nagging length wide outside off, nips back in sharply onto the batter. Nick Welch leaves it all alone. The ball shapes in and hits him high on the thigh pad of his back leg.
13:55 IST:5.2: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Slightly back of a length around middle and leg, Ben Curran tucks this to fine leg and rotates strike.
13:54 IST:5.1: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Good length, wide of off, Ben Curran leaves it all alone.
13:53 IST:4.6: Matt Henry to Nick Welch, Short-pitched, on off, Nick Welch defends this around the square.
13:53 IST:4.5: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Back of a length, cramping Ben for any sort of room. Curran gets into an awkward position to get it away and he ends up deflecting this high off his bat towards short fine leg region for one.
13:52 IST:4.4: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Good length, on the pads. Ben Curran goes for the flick but misses out and gets hit on his thigh pads.
13:51 IST:4.3: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Goes too full, on the pads, Ben Curran punches this firmly down the ground and takes two as the silly mid on fielder gives it a chase and keeps it down to two.
13:50 IST:4.2: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Good length, on off, Ben Curran throws his bat at it but misses out.
13:50 IST:4.1: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, On a length wide outside off, Ben Curran leaves it all alone.
13:49 IST:3.6: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Full and wide outside off, Nick Welch lets this sail back to the keeper as well. A successful over for the Kiwis.
13:48 IST:3.5: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Good length around off, Nick Welch shoulders arms this as well.
13:47 IST:3.4: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Full and wide of off, Nick Welch leaves another one.
13:47 IST:3.3: Will O'Rourke to Nick Welch, Short and wide outside off. Nick Welch leaves it all alone.
13:48 IST:3.2: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Short-pitched, on middle and leg. Ben Curran gets into an awkward position but manages to get this away towards fine leg for one.
13:46 IST:3.1: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Short-pitched, on middle and off. Ben Curran goes for the pull, gets it edged off this inside onto his body for no run.
14:02 IST:2.6: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Matt Henry was consistent with his line and length and he gets rewarded for it. Good length, around off, shaping a fraction away from the stumps. Brian Bennett tentatively pokes at it, gets an outside edge and the ball barely carries to Will Young at third slip. Will Young dives low to his left and takes a beauty to send Brian back into the dressing room.
13:43 IST:2.5: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, First one that goes away from Brian Bennett. Good length, around off. Brian Bennett hops back and looks to block this but the ball shapes away and BB is beaten on his outside edge.
13:42 IST:2.4: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, Full and on middle and off, Brian Bennett defends this off his front foot. First confident defensive stroke of the contest.
13:56 IST:2.3: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, Way too full, on off. Brian Bennett plays at it and gets beaten on the outside.
13:41 IST:2.2: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, FOUR! EDGED AND AWAY FOR FOUR! Hits the hard length, around off, angling into the batter. Brian Bennett firmly through his hands at it. Gets it edged off the outside and the ball races through the gap between second slip and gully for four runs.
13:40 IST:2.1: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, On a length around middle and leg, Brian Bennett tucks this to mid-wicket for no run. Henry has been bringing everything into Brian. Maybe setting him up for that away swinger.
13:40 IST:1.6: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Back of a length, around middle and off. Ben Curran looks to nudge this through mid-wicket but gets an outside edge towards gully again for no run this time.
13:39 IST:1.5: Will O'Rourke to Ben Curran, Short-pitched, wide of off. Ben Curran blocks this to the gully for no run. Signs of Ben not being confident against short-pitched deliveries as he played this tentatively and away from his body.
13:38 IST:1.4: Will O'Rourke to Brian Bennett, Good length, on top of off. Brian Bennett prods in front and drops this through point for a single.
13:37 IST:1.3: Will O'Rourke to Brian Bennett, Good length wide outside off. Brian Bennett leaves it all alone.
13:37 IST:1.2: Will O'Rourke to Brian Bennett, That jagged back from a good length, into the batter. Brian Bennett was surprised by the way it nipped back into him. Ends up taking the bottom hand off the handle and dropping it short of forward square leg.
13:36 IST:1.1: Will O'Rourke to Brian Bennett, Good length, down the leg. Brian Bennett looks to tuck this through backward square leg but gets it off his gloves and rolling back to the keeper.
13:35 IST:Will O'Rourke will bowl from the other end.
13:35 IST:0.6: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Back of a length around off, Ben Curran throws his bat at it looking to block this out. Gets it edged off the outside, dropping in front of third slip and the fielder deflects it beyong backward point for two more.
13:51 IST:0.5: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, BEAUTY FROM HENRY! Fuller, a little bit of swing away from the batter. Ben Curran gets tempted into the drive and ends up getting beaten on his outside edge.
13:33 IST:0.4: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Hits the hard length, around middle and leg. Ben Curran nudges this straight to mid-wicket for a dot this time.
13:33 IST:0.3: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Goes a shade too full, on the pads. Ben Curran flicks this through mid-wicket and runs a couple.
13:32 IST:0.2: Matt Henry to Ben Curran, Around that nagging length, moving away from the batter. Ben Curran is happy to leave it all alone.
13:50 IST:0.1: Matt Henry to Brian Bennett, We are underway with a single. Good length delivery right on the off-pole. Brian Bennett bends low to block it out. Gets an inside edge through square leg and opens his account.
13:29 IST:The stage is set for an exciting Test match between Zimbabwe and New Zealand! The umpires are in place, and the players are ready to take to the field. Brian Bennett and Ben Curran are walking out to bat for Zimbabwe, while Matt Henry is preparing to bowl the first over of the match for New Zealand. Let's get ready to witness some thrilling cricket!
13:26 IST:We are not far away from the action, but before that, the match officials and players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be New Zealand's first followed by the national anthem of Zimbabwe.
13:27 IST:Ben Curran of Zimbabwe also shared a few words. He expressed his excitement about returning to action for Zimbabwe after recovering from a broken knuckle. He revealed that the injury required 3-4 weeks of rest, but the downtime allowed him to focus on his game. Curran spent quality time in the nets, which he believes has been beneficial. He watched the Test series against South Africa and learned from it, acknowledging it was tough to watch. Curran is looking forward to the new pitch and believes the team's preparations have been good. He emphasized the importance of giving their best in the upcoming Test series, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase their skills with both bat and ball. Curran expressed the team's desire to bounce back strong after a tough period.
13:31 IST:Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand is up for a quick chat. He says that it was a great tri-series, but now it is time to adopt to the longer format. Adds that in this format, that win in India was special and they can take inspiration from that. Mentions that it is very tough to replace someone like Kane Williamson, but each and everyone wants to contribute as they can. Says that they have an exciting bowling group with Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke being excellent, Nathan Smith doing well and Matthew Fisher coming into the squad brings depth and variety.
13:22 IST:Mitchell Santner, the skipper of New Zealand, says that they would have batted first as well. Adds that it is unfortunate for Latham to miss out, but it also gives opportunity to the team to step up. Mentions that the first hour will be crucial to make inroads. Ends by saying that it is always an honour to lead the side.
13:17 IST:Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine has decided to bat first, citing the wicket's dry conditions as a factor. He emphasized the importance of scoring runs early on to set up a strong foundation and potentially utilize their spinners later in the game. Ervine stressed that the batting group needs to be alert from the start and perform better, highlighting the need for caution in the first 20 balls and a positive body language, which was lacking in their previous series against South Africa. The team has benefited from a break and intense training, and several key players have returned to the side, including Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, and Sikandar Raza. The bowling unit has also seen the inclusion of Vincent Masekesa and Newman Nyamhuri.
13:15 IST:PITCH RPORT - Ed Rainsford and Scott Styris shared their insights on the pitch for Day 1 of the Test match in Bulawayo. Rainsford noted that the surface looks similar to the one they experienced against South Africa, with the average score in the first innings batting first being around 400. Styris added that the pitch has a lot of grass cover, which might make it slower, and variable bounce can be expected. He also pointed out a few rough patches that spinners can exploit, making it an interesting contest between batters and bowlers.
13:08 IST:New Zealand (Playing XI) - Devon Conway, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke.
13:09 IST:Zimbabwe (Playing XI) - Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (C), Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga (WK), Newman Nyamhuri, Vincent Masekesa, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga.
13:05 IST:TOSS - Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to BAT first.