On day two of the second Test in Bulawayo, three New Zealand batters struck scores of 150 or more, equalling a world record that had stood for nearly four decades, according to Wisden.
Resuming with intent, the visitors piled on the misery for Zimbabwe’s bowlers. Devon Conway, averaging just 29.09 since his last Test hundred against Pakistan in January 2023, ended his two-year drought with a gritty 153 off 245 balls.
The highlight of the day was an unbeaten 256-run fourth-wicket stand between Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra — New Zealand’s third-highest partnership for that wicket, surpassing the 243-run effort by Nathan Astle and Matt Horne against Zimbabwe in 1998. Nicholls, making his comeback after December 2023, remained not out on 150, while Ravindra continued his prolific run with 165 at stumps.
New Zealand closed the day on a commanding 601/3, with both set batters still at the crease. With Conway, Nicholls, and Ravindra all crossing 150, the Kiwis matched the record for most 150-plus scores in a single Test innings — a feat achieved only twice before: by India’s Sunil Gavaskar (176), Mohammad Azharuddin (199), and Kapil Dev (163) against Sri Lanka in Kanpur in 1986, and by England’s Len Hutton (364), Maurice Leyland (187), and Joe Hardstaff (169*) against Australia at The Oval in 1938.
Having bowled Zimbabwe out for just 125 in their first innings, New Zealand lead by 476 runs overnight — their second-largest first-innings lead in Test history, behind the 481-run advantage against Bangladesh in Hamilton in 2019. They are also within striking distance of the all-time top three first-innings leads: England’s 702 vs Australia (1938), Sri Lanka’s 587 vs South Africa (2006), and Pakistan’s 570 vs New Zealand (2002).
It was a day of record-breaking milestones, relentless batting dominance, and mounting pressure on Zimbabwe — with the prospect of even more to come.