The Black Caps have completed their largest test victory, and defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs to seal a 2-0 series sweep in Bulawayo.
After declaring overnight, New Zealand needed just 28.1 overs to bowl the tourists for a second time, and seal victory before lunch on day three.
On a pitch that saw just two Kiwi wickets fall a day previous, all 10 Zimbabwean batters were dismissed in the opening session, as New Zealand’s seamers ran riot.
Having fallen short of a five-wicket haul on debut with 4/38 in the first innings, Zak Foulkes wasn’t denied a second time, and took 5/37 to skittle the hosts for 117, en route to claiming the best figures by a New Zealander in his first test - 9/75.
He was supported by the ever-reliable Matt Henry (2/16), while fellow debutants Jacob Duffy (2/18) and Matt Fisher (1/22), while the spin of captain Mitchell Santner wasn’t even needed.
And while Henry was second fiddle to Foulkes, the leader of New Zealand’s attack was named man-of-the-series, after taking 16 wickets at an average of 9.12 across the two tests.
The victory sees New Zealand eclipse their previous biggest test win - victory by an innings and 301 runs - coincidentally also against Zimbabwe in Napier in 2013.
“It was a pretty good game, in all aspects,” said Santner. “Losing the toss, [there was] a little bit in the wicket, we bowled very well, I thought, in the first innings.
“Then the boys with the bat got through some tough partnerships, and tough periods, and then cashed in.
“We thought it might take longer today, but Matt Henry with the new ball looks pretty tough to play.
“We talked about keeping our standards up. In the first test, we were very good as well. That first innings with the bat, we could have potentially cashed in a bit more.
“That was the comms going into this test, and we didn’t look back. It was a pretty good effort.”
Much will be made of Zimbabwe’s inability to compete across the series, and perhaps their place as a test nation in a sport further fragmenting towards a haves vs have-nots structure.
However, this series’ results can’t be put down to a shortage of the longest format. The hosts have still already played nine tests in 2025 - only India, England (both 10) and Australia (11) will don the whites more in this calendar year.
Instead, this was as good as a performance that a Black Caps side missing captain Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith could have asked for.
What’s more, New Zealand will also return home unbeaten in all formats, as the perfect start to life under new coach Rob Walter.
Already with 601 runs on the scoreboard after the batters’ efforts on day two, Santner decided enough was enough, and declared New Zealand’s innings over before the start of play.
There was no temptation to reach 953, and therefore give the Black Caps the record for the highest test total to go with the lowest, 26 all out, scored all the way back in 1955.
Instead, Zimbabwe were asked to survive for three days and score at least 476 runs to make the Black Caps bat again, needing at least 175 to avoid their heaviest defeat to New Zealand.
And having been Zimbabwe’s chief tormentor across the first innings of both tests, Henry picked up where he left off on day one, and re-arranged Brian Benentt’s stumps with the third ball of the innings.
Playing his first test since 2021, Brendan Taylor had provided the bulk of Zimbabwe’s first innings with 44 on day one. There was to be no repeat on day two, as he became Henry’s second victim, when his outside edge was accepted by Will Young at second slip for seven.
Having missed out with the ball in the first innings, debutant Jacob Duffy struck New Zealand’s third blow inside the first hour, when he cramped Sean Williams (9) and drew a leading edge for a simple return catch to take his first test wicket.
At 24/3 in the sixth over, Zimbabwe’s captain Craig Ervine arrived at the crease, and at the very least got the hosts to drinks without further loss.
Fisher’s introduction, though, saw the end of Zimbabwe’s skipper for 17, as a loose drive found the edge, which Foulkes snared behind the wicket, diving across in front of the slips cordon.
Sikandar Raza nearly became Fisher’s second when he edged his first delivery past his stumps for four. That fortune didn’t last, as Raza’s second ball, from Foulkes, was edged to Devon Conway at gully, and left Zimbabwe with half their side gone at 54/5.
As he did in the first innings, Foulkes ran through Zimbabwe’s middle order, as another indication of his future value as a test player.
First, he caught the shoulder of Tafadzwa Tsiga’s bat through to Tom Blundell for five, as the hosts slipped further into the mire.
Then, against the tailenders, Foulkes hit the stumps of Vincent Masekasa (4) and Trevor Gwandu, as Zimbabwe slipped to 86/8, and became a genuine risk of losing all 10 wickets within a session.
Batting at No 10, Blessing Muzurabani at the very least took the attack to New Zealand - and launched Foulkes over deep backward square for the first six of the innings. However, two balls later, his attempt at a repeat dose only found Santner to give Foulkes his fifth.
Having watched nine wickets fall, opener Welch attempted one last smash and grab to at the very least boost his batting average, by finding the boundary against both Foulkes and Duffy.
However, closing in on a half-century, Welch was left stranded on 47 when No 11 Tanaka Chivanga edged Duffy to Conway at gully, to see New Zealand end their tour with their most emphatic result yet.
But, considering cricket’s modern landscape, and the fact New Zealand don’t play another test until December, only time will tell how valuable these last two matches have been.
Zimbabwe 125 & 117 (Welch 47 not out; Foulkes 5/37)
New Zealand 601/3d (Ravindra 165 not out; Muzurabani 1/101)