Centuries from Rachin Ravindra, Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway earn New Zealand monumental lead of 476 against Zimbabwe

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP) — Three big centuries by top-order New Zealand batters led the Black Caps to a record-breaking 601-3 against an exhaustive Zimbabwe on the second day of the second test on Friday.

Rachin Ravindra was unbeaten on 165 from 139 balls, featuring 21 fours and two sixes, while Henry Nicholls was not out on 150 as the Black Caps shut out the home team for a monumental lead of 476 runs.

Both left-handers combined in an explosive 256-run fourth-wicket stand off 285 balls to surpass New Zealand’s previous best of 582-4 declared against Zimbabwe at the same venue nine years ago.

Zimbabwe had little to counter the aggression of the top-order batters as New Zealand smacked 427-2 after resuming on a solid 174-1.

Devon Conway had earlier made 153 with 18 fours for his first test hundred in over two years before being undone by Blessing Muzarabani.

But that was all Zimbabwe could bag with the second new ball.

Ravindra exhibited a wide range of shots on both sides of the wicket from the onset and capped a perfect day for the Black Caps when he hammered leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa (1-104) for two fours and two sixes in one over late in the final session.

Nicholls has long been struggling to get a regular place in the New Zealand test team. But in the absence of Kane Williamson and Tom Latham for the two-test series, he made full use of the opportunity to score his first test hundred since 2023, grinding out his innings off 245 balls with 15 fours.

Conway and Nicholls grafted a 110-run stand on a day when Zimbabwe spinners couldn’t get any assistance from a slow wicket as pace bowlers Muzarabani (1-101) and Trevor Gwandu (1-131) also conceded more than 100 runs.

Earlier, Conway moved to 140, and Nicholls set himself up for a big knock, reaching 41 by lunch, and New Zealand cruised to 306-2.

Zimbabwe tried six bowlers in the session, but only Masekesa got success when the leg-spinner dismissed nightwatcher Jacob Duffy for 36 before New Zealand had another productive session of 132-1 as Conway led the charge with his fifth test century.

He showed plenty of aggression against the fast bowlers and smashed Tanaka Chivanga through the point boundary off the first ball of the day.

Conway then reached his century off 143 balls when he drove Muzarabani through mid-off for his 13th boundary of the innings, raising both arms to celebrate his much-awaited hundred in the longest format.

Conway’s last test hundred came against Pakistan at Karachi in 2023. Since then, the left-hander had played 16 test matches without a century.

Zimbabwe lost the first test by nine wickets inside three days, and its batting order once again crumbled for 125 on Day 1 against a new crop of New Zealand fast bowlers, with Matt Henry and debutant Zakary Foulkes sharing nine wickets between them.

The two-match series is not part of the World Test Championship.

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