New Zealand Hold Nerve To Edge Out Brave Zimbabwe New Zealand vs Zimbabwe One-off Test – B...

• New Zealand  vs Zimbabwe One-off Test – Bulawayo

New Zealand held their nerve to stave off a brave challenge from Zimbabwe and secure a close 34 run win in their one-off test in Bulawayo on Saturday.
Chasing a formidable 366 to win Zimbabwe were anchored by a brilliant 117 from their skipper Brendan Taylor with Tatenda Taibu 63 and opener Tino Mawoyo 52 lending strong support.
At tea Zimbabwe had reached 265 for three at tea and were on the verge of a remarkable win with Taylor on 117 not out and Taibu on 54. They needed 101 runs in the final session with seven wickets intact and their fourth wicket pair had already added 108 runs.
However, they lost Taylor immediately after the break without addition to the total and when Taibu was fifth out at 287 their momentum faded.
Waller batted bravely for 29 but Zimbabwe lost wickets at regular intervals and were finally all out for 331 – 34 runs adrift of their target.
Bracewell grabbed 5 for 85 and skipper Daniel Vettori weighed in with 3 for 31.
Taylor struck eight fours and five sixes in his 145-ball knock to help turn the match around after New Zealand had finished day four in a strong position after reducing Zimbabwe to 61 for two at the close.
Taylor joined forces with overnight batsman Mawoyo and the pair put on 96 for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed for 52, bowled off his pads by part-time bowler Martin Guptill.
That was the only success New Zealand enjoyed in the opening two sessions though as Taylor and Taibu put on an unbroken stand worth 108 to leave Zimbabwe within sight of victory.
Taylor survived a scare just before the tea break when he hit a Chris Martin delivery in the air and BJ Watling looked to have claimed a fine catch in the deep.
However, replays proved inconclusive as to whether Watling had taken the catch cleanly and Taylor was given not out.
That was a big blow to New Zealand’s hopes of claiming a first away Test win since 2008 as the 25-year-old Taylor has proved a huge thorn in their side during their whole tour.
In the two Twenty20 and three one-day international matches between the two nations prior to this Test, Taylor recorded successive scores of 50 not out, one, 128no, 107no and 75.