Daniel Vettori's 20th five-wicket haul in Test cricket put New Zealand in firm control of their one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club here on Thursday. Vettori recorded figures of 5 for 70 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 313, before New Zealand closed day three on 28 for two, giving them an overall lead of 141.
Zimbabwe's innings was a story of missed opportunities, with Vusi Sibanda falling short of a maiden Test century and Brendan Taylor dismissed at a critical time after making a promising half-century. The hosts began the day on 82 for one and put on a couple of solid partnerships, but ultimately fell short of the big total they required as their weak tail folded and Malcolm Waller was left stranded on 72 not out.
Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu were the most culpable batsmen as wasted opportunities were concerned, with Sibanda giving part-time seamer Dean brownlie his first wicket in any form of cricket to fall for 93 after sharing a 76-run stand with Taylor.
When Zimbabwe's captain was trapped lbw by Vettori for 50 four balls after lunch, stability was required from Zimbabwe's batsmen, but Taibu threw his wicket away when he hit Vettori straight to mid-off to depart for 20. Waller rebuilt the innings with fellow debutant Regis Chakabva in a partnership of 86 either side of tea, but when Chakabva was run out for 37 the tail was exposed and Zimbabwe added just 29 runs for their last four wickets.
Waller became the 11th Zimbabwean to make a score of fifty or more on debut - a feat that was also achieved by his father, Andrew, against England on this ground in 1996. On a pitch that continued to offer little assistance to the pace bowlers, Vettori's experience was the key as he bowled around the wicket to attack Zimbabwe's entirely right-handed batting line-up.
"Whenever you come here, you know the wicket is going to be pretty flat and it's going to be a lot of work and we expected that today, so to walk off the park 140 runs ahead is a pretty pleasing day and we know tomorrow (Friday) is going to be the most important day of the Test match," said Vettori.
Scoreboard New Zealand first innings: 426 all out (M. Guptill 109, R. Taylor 76, D. Brownlie 63, K. Williamson 49; C. Mpofu 9-92)
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Zimbabwe first innings
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T. Mawoyo lbw Vettori 5
V. Sibanda c Taylor b Brownlie 93
H. Masakadza b Bracewell 22
B. Taylor lbw Vettori 50
T. Taibu c Patel b Vettori 20
M. Waller not out 72
R. Chakabva run out 29
R. Price lbw Vettori 0
K. Jarvis c Taylor b Martin 6
C. Mpofu c Williamson b Vettori 0
N. Ncube b Martin 3
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Extras: (3lb, 1wd, 1nb) 5
Total: (all out, 121.5 overs) 313
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Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-83, 3-159, 4-193, 5-198, 6-284, 7-286, 8-299, 9-300, 10-313
Bowling: Martin 25.5-6-74-2; Bracewell 23-12-51-1; Vettori 43-13-70-5; Patel 23-1-91-0, Brownlie 4-0-13-1, Williamson 2-0-9-0, Guptill 1-0-2-0.
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New Zealand second innings
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B. McCullum lbw Price 11
M. Guptill b Jarvis 0
K. Williamson not out 13
J. Patel not out 4
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Total: (2 wkts, 7 overs) 28
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