Henry takes five again as returning Taylor can't inspire insipid Zimbabwe

Matt Henry's sixth Test five-for eclipsed Brendan Taylor's international comeback, and entrenched questions over Zimbabwe's batting in the longest format. Zimbabwe were bowled out for their lowest total in nine innings, and second-lowest since 2023, with Taylor's 44 and Tafadzwa Tsiga's 33 the only individual scores over 11. That Taylor and Tsiga never batted together further underlines the issue, as Zimbabwe mustered a best partnership of only 29 on a surface where they chose to bat first.

There was some early movement but with less bounce on offer than last week, and the quality of New Zealand's seamers shone through. Henry led the attack, but debutants Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher were also impressive. They varied lengths well, and bowled tight lines to a plan to give New Zealand's line-up the best of the batting conditions.

In response, Devon Conway and Will Young put on New Zealand's third-highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, and New Zealand's first opening stand of over 150 in almost three years. It was their fourth century stand together, and first for the opening wicket. Though separated late in the day, Conway and Young put New Zealand ahead, and memories of Taylor's slog earlier in the day already far from mind.

Taylor was called into action immediately on his comeback after a three-and-a-half-year ban when he was elevated to open the batting - something he had only done six times before - in place of Ben Curran. The reason for that became obvious as Taylor looked, by a distance, the most aware of his off stump, left well, and defended solidly.

With all those qualities on display in the morning, he will be livid with the manner of his dismissal shortly after lunch. Taylor became Henry's third wicket when he popped a tame catch to stand-in captain Mitchell Santner at extra cover to end a two-hour-and-23 minute stay at the crease.

By then, Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble. They had already lost the rest of their top order thanks to poor shot selection in the face of excellent bowling. Brian Bennett, who partnered Taylor, was out as early as the ninth ball when he chased a delivery that shaped away and edged Henry to second slip, and will have to address his technique going forward.

Henry should have had Nick Welch off the next ball when he edged a good-length delivery. But Will Young, who took the catch that dismissed Bennett, could not hold on. Welch was beaten on the outside edge at least twice more by Henry, who then beat his inside edge and had him out lbw.

Zimbabwe would have hoped an experienced middle order would stabilise them, but Sean Williams and Craig Ervine went cheaply. Williams was worked over by Foulkes, who moved the ball away late, and edged to third slip, where Young took a diving catch to his right. Then, on the stroke of lunch, Ervine reached for a full, wide ball, and handed Young a third catch. Zimbabwe went to the break on 67 for 4, with Taylor on 33 and well set. His shot of the session was an upper cut off Duffy that was struck powerfully and placed well.

The same could not be said of the shot Taylor played in the afternoon, when Henry bowled on a good length outside off, and Taylor tried to drive off the back foot but chipped the ball to Santner. At the start of the next over, Foulkes set a leg-side trap for Sikandar Raza, and banged it in short and Raza walked straight in. He moved to the off side, and guided the ball into Rachin Ravindra's hands. That was the third time in as many innings in this series that Raza was dismissed by the short ball.

Foulkes had Trevor Gwandu lbw three balls later, and Zimbabwe had crashed to 83 for 7. The end of the innings was only a matter of time. Henry picked up his fourth when Vincent Masekesa played down the wrong line and the ball hit the top of off stump, and his fifth when Blessing Muzarabani backed away and was bowled. Foulkes also chased a fifth, but Tsiga and Tanaka Chivanga resisted with a 25-run last wicket-stand.

Tsiga played a couple of well-timed shots through deep third and midwicket, and offered a rare glimmer of hope for Zimbabwe's batting. But he ran out of partners when Chivanga failed to use his feet and drove Fisher to mid-off to give him a wicket on debut. Zimbabwe were bowled out inside 49 overs.

In response, New Zealand raced to 57 without loss after ten overs, and 40 of their runs came in boundaries. Conway got hold of fuller deliveries from Chivanga, while Young, who was struck on the glove, took on Muzarabani's short ball. Zimbabwe's new-ball pair then adjusted their lengths, but when Muzarabani and Chivanga went full, it was too full, and Conway cashed in. Chivanga's fourth over cost 14 runs as Young cut him twice and then edged a back-of-a-length ball over the slips to bring up New Zealand's fifty.

Gwandu's introduction quietened things down, but only a touch, as New Zealand accumulated with ease. Chivanga changed ends, and it was off him that Young brought up his 11th Test fifty and New Zealand's hundred with a flick through midwicket.

Zimbabwe's best chance came shortly after the day's final drinks break when Muzarabani drew Conway's edge, but the chance died on Ervine at slip. Muzarabani also found the inside edge, but the ball raced away for four. Conway rode his luck, and then brought up his 13th Test fifty. New Zealand were in the lead with 14.4 overs left to play on the opening day.

They were 33 runs ahead when Masekesa thought he had the breakthrough. He hit Conway, on 72, in front of middle and leg, and appealed for lbw but it was turned down. Zimbabwe finally had some joy when Young tried to pull Gwandu but chopped on. Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test. Conway finished the day on 79* alongside nightwatcher Duffy.