New Zealand captain Mitch Santner praised his team’s strong collective effort after the Black Caps defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. Santner, captaining for the first time in Tests due to Tom Latham’s injury, highlighted the bowlers’ excellent performance but felt the batting could have been sharper.
Fast bowler Matt Henry was the star of the match, taking nine wickets for 90 runs across both innings. His disciplined bowling helped bowl out Zimbabwe for 149 and 165 runs. Henry’s performance came just after New Zealand won a T20 series in Harare, where he was named player of the tournament.
New Zealand posted 307 runs in their first innings, with Devon Conway scoring 88 and Daryl Mitchell adding 80 runs. However, Santner mentioned the batting lacked strong partnerships despite good intent. The team quickly chased down the target, needing only eight runs to secure the win.
Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine acknowledged his team’s improved batting effort compared to previous matches against South Africa. However, he admitted the pitch offered lateral movement that made batting difficult. Ervine praised his players’ resilience but said the key moment was a strong opening partnership from New Zealand.
Santner also expressed concern over seamer Nathan Smith’s injury, who bowled well in the first innings but missed the second due to an abdominal problem. The Black Caps will face Zimbabwe again in the second Test at the same venue starting Thursday.
Overall, New Zealand’s balanced bowling attack and solid start in the chase ensured a convincing win. Henry’s nine wickets earned him the player-of-the-match award, while Santner’s calm leadership helped guide his team to success in their first Test of the year.