Brendan Taylor top scores but NZ dominate Zimbabwe in 2nd Test

Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor marked his return to Test cricket with a defiant 44, but his efforts were not enough to stop New Zealand from dominating the opening day of the second Test at Queens Sports Club on Thursday.

Playing in his first Test since 2021, Brendan Taylor top-scored for Zimbabwe, who were skittled out for just 125 in their first innings. The damage was done by Matt Henry, who continued his superb form with figures of 5 for 40, and debutant Zakary Foulkes, who impressed with 4 for 38.

By stumps, New Zealand had surged ahead to 174 for 1, leading by 49 runs, with Devon Conway (79*) and Will Young (74) putting on a dominant 162-run opening partnership. The stand was finally broken late in the day when Young was bowled off an inside edge by Trevor Gwandu.

Taylor, 39, was making his comeback after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban imposed in January 2022 for violating the ICC’s anti-corruption code and a drugs offence.

His last Test appearance was in July 2021 against Bangladesh, where he scored 81 and 92.

Opening the innings, Brendan Taylor played a lone hand amid a batting collapse. Facing 107 deliveries and hitting six boundaries, he was eventually dismissed by Henry, caught at cover with the total on 83.

Three New Zealand seamers—Foulkes, Jacob Duffy, and Matthew Fisher—made their Test debuts due to injuries to Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke, and the release of Michael Bracewell to play in The Hundred in England. Fisher picked up his maiden Test wicket by removing Tanaka Chivanga, caught at mid-off.

With Tom Latham ruled out due to a shoulder injury, Mitch Santner continued as New Zealand’s stand-in captain. Under his leadership, the visitors built on the strong bowling performance, echoing their dominant first day in the opening Test last week, which they went on to win by nine wickets.

Henry, named Player of the Series in the recent T20 tri-series and Player of the Match in the first Test, claimed his sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Foulkes made an immediate impact by removing key Zimbabwean batters Sean Williams and Craig Ervine, both left-handers, with excellent outswing deliveries.

As the match progresses, New Zealand look well-positioned to secure another commanding lead, while Zimbabwe face an uphill battle despite Taylor’s valiant return.