As the cliché goes in Test cricket, the first hour becomes very crucial for both sides to set the tone for the entire day. The pitch is still really good enough to bat on and under the heat, with the ball getting softer, the challenge for Zimbabwe is stern. But adversity is what makes one stronger. Stay tuned as we dive into another engaging day of Test cricket.

Coming into Day 2, the hosts will need to regroup, rethink, and reanalyze their way back into this Test Match, before it's too late. The runs have flowed far too freely, and the path back into the contest begins with control. A string of quiet disciplined overs and a united bowling display is what the Chevrons need at the moment. One breakthrough could spark a shift, two could tilt the morning. It is all about taking one session at a time to regain what is lost so far. The Kiwis need to continue doing what they are doing now, and they will look to extend a heavy first-inning lead and take the game further away from Zimbabwe.

Chasing the first innings total, both the NZ openers just stamped their authority with the bat and cashed in on the inconsistency of the Zimbabwean bowling attack. Both Will Young and Devon Conway registered their respective half-centuries and helped NZ wipe off their score and take the lead by the end of the day. Zimbabwe, out of 39 overs bowled, could only string five maidens, which shows they were a bit inconsistent and couldn't create pressure on the batters. Also, with spin introduced, it was indeed surprising to see Sikandar Raza kept out of the attack. However, we might see him being utilised this time around.

Hello and a warm welcome, folks! We are back again with day two of the final Test match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe. The Kiwis came out firmly on top at the end of the opening day's play and have put up a strong foot forward in the contest. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the hosts struggled to form valuable partnerships on a pitch where batting was made to look easier by the New Zealand top order, and it seemed to be just a matter of time before they were bundled out on a paltry total of 125 runs.

... DAY 2, FIRST SESSION ...

You’ve got to feel for the hosts, though. There were glimpses of resistance. Taylor’s composure, Tsiga’s fight down the order, but they never quite stitched together a phase that could tilt the balance. Against a side as clinical as New Zealand, those gaps in conviction proved costly. Well then, a solid platform has been formed by the Kiwi openers, and come Day 2, their aim will be to stretch their lead far away from the hosts' reach, whereas Zimbabwe's immediate aim will be to snag a couple of early wickets to disrupt the momentum of the tourists. It is all set up for Day 2. Play resumes on Friday, 8th August, and the first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 8 am GMT. Join us then. But for now, you can simply switch tabs to follow all the live action from The Hundred Women's Competition and can also follow the Men's game later. From here, we sign off. Cheers, take care!

Ervine even tried spin from one end, but that too proved ineffective, barring the odd one turning and a couple of close LBW appeals that were turned down. However, it was surprising to see Sikandar Raza not being utilised in those spin overs, even once. The difference between the two sides? Conviction. With both bat and ball. Where New Zealand were clinical in both departments, Zimbabwe had a long, frustrating day. However, in the final minutes of the day's play, Zimbabwe finally got their first breakthrough as Young chopped one back into the stumps, off Gwandu.

The Kiwi openers began with intent, finding early boundaries that immediately put Zimbabwe on the defensive. The hosts struggled with their lengths, often bowling too short or too full, and failing to challenge the bat. While Blessing Muzarabani managed to extract some extra bounce early on, it lacked bite. Will Young and Devon Conway capitalised, batting fluently and erasing more than half the deficit within the first hour of the final session. Both batters eased into their fifties as the bowling continued to lack discipline and penetration. With little resistance on offer, New Zealand cruised into the lead without breaking stride, turning the final session into a one-sided affair.

New Zealand continued to press down hard in the second session, never letting Zimbabwe settle. Once Zakary Foulkes dismissed Brendan Taylor, the innings unravelled quickly. From 83/4, Zimbabwe collapsed to 100/9 in no time. Tafadzwa Tsiga showed some fight with a composed 33, and found brief support from Chivanga as the last-wicket pair added 25 runs. But the resistance was short-lived, and the hosts were bundled out for 125. Matt Henry led the charge with a clinical five-wicket haul, while Foulkes capped a dream debut with four scalps, including the prized wickets of Raza, Ervine, and Williams.

New Zealand’s pacers dominated the morning session with relentless discipline and an evident lateral movement off the surface. Zakary Foulkes impressed on debut, claiming the key wicket of Sean Williams and later removing Craig Ervine with a peach just as a partnership was brewing. Matt Henry set the tone early, striking in the third over and keeping Zimbabwe under pressure throughout. Brendan Taylor offered good resistance with a steady 44, but wickets at regular intervals left Zimbabwe reeling at 67/4 by lunch.

A job well done by New Zealand, first with the ball and then with the bat. They have dominated the proceedings from start to finish on this opening day, offering no window of opportunity for the hosts to claw their way into the contest. The score of 125, in all fairness, was never enough, on a surface where batting was made to look like a stroll by the Kiwi openers. 

Last over the day? Possibly so. Sean Williams (7-0-18-0) to wrap up.