The Black Caps are on course to crush Zimbabwe, and seal a 2-0 series sweep in the process, after dominating day two of the second test in Bulawayo.
When Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine won the toss on day one, he declared the pitch used for this test would be a better batting wicket than what had been seen in last week’s series opener.
He wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately for the hosts, though, it was the Black Caps who have made the most of it.
On a day where only two wickets fell, New Zealand left the Queen’s Sports Club pitch at 601/3, a new record total for the Black Caps against Zimbabwe, and in front by a colossal 476 runs.
Having not scored a test century for 949 days, Devon Conway formed the backbone of the Black Caps’ scorecard with 153, second only to his 200 on debut at Lord’s more than four years ago.
Henry Nicholls, meanwhile, didn’t have to wait as long – 875 days – to pass triple figures, but notched his 10th test hundred, and in doing so overtook former captain Stephen Fleming on the list of New Zealand’s most prolific century makers on his way to 150 not out.
Then, against a bowling attack already on its knees, Rachin Ravindra rubbed salt into Zimbabwe’s wounds with a breakneck boundary-laden ton, to bat the Black Caps completely out of their hosts’ sights by adding an unbeaten 165 runs from just 139 balls.
And, considering Daryl Mitchell was still padded up in the final over of the day, the Black Caps might not be done with the bat just yet, either, with the Nicholls-Ravindra partnership an unbroken 256 runs.
Given the lead is already higher than any total Zimbabwe have managed this series, and the Kiwi bowling attack will enter the third innings after more than an entire day off the park, the Black Caps can and likely will hunt a second successive victory inside three days.
Resuming at 174/1, with a lead of 49 runs already in the bank, it took Conway just one ball to show New Zealand’s intent, with a boundary through point as a sign of what was to come.
But with eyes on New Zealand’s senior batter, it was nightwatchman Jacob Duffy who added the early impetus on day two. Even as a tailender batting at No 3, Duffy dominated the scoring in the pair’s half-century stand, raised in 58 deliveries.
After missing out on three figures in the first test, Conway pushed Blessing Muzurabani (1/101) down the ground for a boundary through mid-off and passed 100 for the fifth time in test cricket, the first time since January 2023.
Before the end of the first hour, Duffy’s fun came to an end when he pulled Vincent Masekasa (1/104) straight to short midwicket for 36, breaking the partnership with Conway for 73.
That, though, merely opened the door for the top order, as Conway combined with Nicholls to take the lead past 150, en route to another fifty partnership, this one taking 73 deliveries.
The milestones didn’t stop coming in the afternoon either; Nicholls reached his fifty from 76 balls, and even reverse-swept Masekesa to take the lead past 200, before Conway drove through cover to raise the century stand, and his 150 one delivery later.
Desperate for a breakthrough, the new ball rewarded Zimbabwe, as a nasty ball from Muzurabani hit Conway in the chest, and ricocheted onto the stumps to end his stay, and the partnership with Nicholls for 110.
That was all the respite Zimbabwe would get before tea, though. At 345/3, Ravindra arrived at the crease, and launched a stinging series of boundaries against an already deflated attack, to surge to 50 in just 48 balls, with 40 of those coming in fours alone.
In no time, he and Nicholls added yet another 50-run partnership, and took New Zealand’s total past 400, as an edge to third man pushed the lead beyond 300.
The tea break halted Nicholls’ march to his century, but merely delayed the inevitable, as a glance through midwicket took the 33-year-old to his hundred, his first since a career-best 200 not out against Sri Lanka in March of 2023.
Despite his milestone, though, Nicholls was comfortably second fiddle in the partnership. Ravindra carried on his assault into the final session as the total moved past 500.
And after drinks in the final session, Ravindra became the third of the Kiwi batters to remove his helmet for three figures, needing only 104 balls to pass 100 for the third time in his test career.
Once Ravindra’s celebrations subsided, though, eyes turned to the Black Caps’ dressing room, as declaration speculation began.
A Nicholls punch down the ground saw the lead pass 400, before a single to cover raised the double-century stand with Ravindra.
As he’d done all day, Ravindra continued to find the boundary, pushing his score beyond a run a ball, and brought up the day’s 400th run in the process with a punch to mid-off as he overtook Nicholls’ score.
In comical scenes towards the end of play, Ravindra believed he’d reached 150 with a drive through cover, only to actually raise it one ball later with a pull over square leg for the innings’ first six, and then cleared long-on for good measure.
Two final milestones were passed in the day’s final over, as Nicholls pulled Tanaka Chivanga for four to raise the 250-run partnership, before a single to midwicket brought up his 150 before the close.
Now, all eyes will be on captain Mitchell Santner for when – not if – the declaration comes.
Zimbabwe 125 (Taylor 44; Henry 5/40, Foulkes 4/38)
New Zealand 601/3 (Ravindra 165 not out, Conway 153, Nicholls 150 not out; Muzurabani 1/101)