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28-Jan-2012 07:46:00 GMT
New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Only Test, Napier, 3rd day

Kiwis Completes Biggest Win in Test

Napier: After scoring 495, the Kiwis bowled out Zimbabwe for 51 and 143 to win the one-off Test by an innings and 301 runs to register their biggest victory margin.

Zimbabwe's middle order put up a little resistance in the second innings, but Martin took a career-best 6/26 and Bracewell claimed 3/26 to complete the mismatch and deliver New Zealand the eighth-largest win by an innings in Test history.

The win was New Zealand's third in its past four Tests - after a 34-run win over Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in October and a seven-run win over Australia in December - and was it's first ever test victory on Napier's McLean Park.

The 37-year-old Martin was Man of the Match for his match figures of 8-31 which helped New Zealand dismiss Zimbabwe twice in just 2-1/2 sessions.

The four-pronged New Zealand pace attack took every advantage from conditions which were unfamiliar to the Zimbabwe batsmen. Martin found swing and seam movement and enough bounce to continually trouble batsmen.

Of the 20 Zimbabawe wickets that fell on Saturday, 13 fell to catches behind the wicket as batsmen failed to use their feet or to cope with any lateral movement.

Dean Brownlie was one of the beneficiaries, taking five catches in the slips - four in the first innings - while BJ Watling, on his debut as New Zealand wicketkeeper, took four catches in the second innings.

The selection of Watling as keeper, after he had played his six previous tests as an opening batsman, was a tactical masterstroke by New Zealand coach John Wright.

The Zimbabwe batsmen had no answer to the swing variations of New Zealand's four-pronged pace attack, backed by the subtle tweaking of Daniel Vettori.

Malcolm Waller contributed the bulk of the runs with 23 in the Zimbabwe first innings before he was caught at third slip by Dean Brownlie off Tim Southee.

Veteran pacer Chris Martin was New Zealand's chief destroyer taking two for five off six overs in Zimbabwe's first innings and dismissing all three wickets to fall so far in the tourists' second turn at bat.

Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell and Southee also took two wickets in the first innings and Vettori took one.

The 51 runs in 28.5 overs in Zimbabwe's first innings was their lowest Test innings total. Their previous lowest score was 54 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2005.

Brendon McCullum has taken over the New Zealand captaincy after Ross Taylor was ruled out of the rest of the series against Zimbabwe with a torn calf muscle.

Taylor posted his sixth Test century and was unbeaten on 122 before he was injured early on Friday shortly before rain brought the second day's play to an early end.

Earlier, By fielding a wicketkeeper who was also a specialist batsman, batting at No. 7, and by promoting Daniel Vettori from No. 8 to No. 6 in the order, New Zealand was able to enter the match with four seamers: Martin, Bracewell, Tim Southee and Trent Boult.

Watling scored 102 not out in New Zealand's first innings, resuming at 52 not out on Saturday morning and going on to a maiden test century.

Brief scores
Zimbabwe
51 (Waller 23) and 143 (Chakabva 63, Martin 6-26, Bracewell 3-26)
New Zealand 495 for 7 dec (Taylor 122, Watling 102*)
Result New Zealand won by an innings and 301 runs
MOM Chris Martin (New Zealand)


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