Daryl Mitchell hit 80 as New Zealand took a first innings lead of 158 runs before claiming two late wickets on the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club Thursday.

Zimbabwe were 31 for two at the close, still 127 runs short of making New Zealand bat again.

It was a disappointing end to the day for the home side, who fought back strongly before Mitchell re-asserted New Zealand’s control.
“It’s nice to get a lead on a challenging surface which is going up and down a bit. A couple of wickets tonight tops it off,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell said the nature of the Queens club pitch had surprised the New Zealanders with its tennis ball-type bounce. He said Zimbabwe’s fast bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani and Tanaka Chivanga had “bowled really well”.

Fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Tanaka Chivanga extracted pace and bounce from the pitch as New Zealand slipped from their overnight 92 for no wicket to 233 for seven in reply to Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 149.

Muzarabani had Will Young caught at short leg for 41 off the first ball of the day and followed up with two more wickets to finish with three for 73. Chivanga (two for 51) dismissed top-scorer Devon Conway (88) and Tom Blundell in successive overs as Zimbabwe entertained hopes of restricting New Zealand’s lead to around 100.

But Nathan Smith provided dogged support for Mitchell as the pair batted through until tea and then saw off the second new ball.
The pair added 61 runs before Smith was forced to retire hurt with an abdominal injury after scoring 22 off 79 balls. Smith did not field when Zimbabwe started their second innings, which suggested the injury could prevent him from bowling today.

“We were just trying to take it ball by ball and over by over,” said Mitchell. “We recognised that runs on that surface are going to be pretty valuable at the back end of the game. I thought the way he (Smith) gutsed it out was awesome. The injury was niggly but the way he hung in there and stuck it out for a few overs, he should be very proud.”

Mitchell was last man out after facing 119 balls and hitting five fours and a six.

Faced with just under an hour to bat until the close, Zimbabwe made a promising start, with Brian Bennett and Ben Curran putting on 25 for the first wicket. But Matt Henry, who took six for 39 in the first innings, made the breakthrough with a bouncer to Curran (11) which the left-hander top-edged to fine leg.

Five balls later Will O’Rourke had Bennett caught behind for 18, leaving Zimbabwe with a massive task if they are to take the match into a fourth day, let alone avoiding their seventh defeat in nine Test matches since last December.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 149 and 31-2.
New Zealand 307 (W. Young 41, D. Conway 88, H. Nicholls 34, D. Mitchell 80; B. Muzarabani 3-73, T. Chivanga 2-51)
Match situation: Zimbabwe trail by 127 runs with eight wickets remaining in the second innings.