Zimbabwe suffer huge defeat to NZ

Harare, August 8:

Zimbabwe suffered their worst innings defeat in Test cricket when they were bowled out for 59 and 99 on the second day against New Zealand. It means they lost the first Test by an innings and 294 runs. Spinner Daniel Vettori took 6-29 in the two innings and James Franklin 5-29, including three in four balls in Zimbabwe’s first knock. New Zealand had declared on their overnight score of 452-9. And they wasted little time in skittling out the hosts for 59, five more than their record low. A desperate last 15 months for Zimbabwe have also included their previous heaviest defeat, by an innings and 254 runs to Sri Lanka. But this time they were bolstered by the return of several veterans, including Carlisle and Heath Streak, who had been in dispute with the cricket board. Batting at No 6, Carlisle was the top-scorer in the first innings, not out 20. Hamilton Masakadza made a spirited 42 in the second innings but with just a handful of overs to go on day two, Vettori bow-led the crushing blow as Chris Mpofu was stumped for a duck. The second Test is on August 15.