Zimbabwe face a struggle for survival after New Zealand posted 582-4 in their first innings of the second Test, in Bulawayo.
The hosts seem to have opted for the practical route, digging in and taking no chances as they reached 55 without loss at stumps of the second day, scoring at a rate of 1.8 an over. At the crease are Tino Mawoyo (20 off 91 balls) and Chamu Chinhabha (31 off 89), having seen off 30 overs.
New Zealand resumed at 329-2 and continued even after Kane Williamson got the five runs he needed to become the 13th player to score a century against every Test-playing nation. In doing so, he became the youngest, by four years, and also the quickest, appearing in this, his 50th Test. Kumar Sangakkara took 69.
Williamson had moved on to 115 when he slapped a sharp catch to Craig Ervine at gully off seamer Michael Chinouya.
The visitors nevertheless ploughed on, losing Henry Nicholls for 15 along the way until Ross Taylor had reached 124 and BJ Watling 83. With the score on 582 at tea, after 150 overs, they decided they had enough to avoid batting again.
It could be a long couple of days for the Zimbabwe batsmen, and possibly for the Kiwi bowlers on a low, slow wicket.
Williamson’s hundreds:
3 v Sri Lanka: 135, Colombo 2012; 242 not out, Wellington 2015; 108 not out, Hamilton 2015
2 v India: 131, Ahmedabad, 2010; 113, Auckland 2014
2 v West Indies: 113, Jamaica, 2014; 161 not out, Barbados, 2014
2 v Australia: 140, Brisbane 2015; 166, Perth, 2015
1 v Pakistan: 192, Sharjah, 2014
1 v Bangladesh: 114, Chittagong 2013
1 v England: 132, Lord’s, 2015
1 v South Africa: 102 not out, Wellington, 2012
1 v Zimbabwe: 113, Bulawayo, 2016
