SPINNER Daniel Vettori took his 350th Test wicket as New Zealand took control of their one-off Test with Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, before two late strikes brought the hosts back into contention.
Vettori took five for 70 in 43 overs as half-centuries from Vusi Sibanda, who fell seven runs shy of a maiden ton, Brendan Taylor and Malcolm Waller helped the tourists reach 313 – a first-innings deficit of 113.
That left the tourists with seven overs to face on day three, and both New Zealand openers fell cheaply as they stumbled to 28 for two at stumps.
Sibanda resumed on 52 and advanced to 93 before picking out New Zealand captain Ross Taylor in the gully, giving Test debutant Dean Brownlie, a specialist batsman, his first wicket in any form of cricket.
That ended a partnership of 76 with Brendan Taylor which helped the hosts recover from the early loss of Hamilton Masakadza, who was bowled by Doug Bracewell in the second over of the morning – also a maiden Test wicket.
At lunch Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor was unbeaten on 50, but he fell immediately after the restart, lbw to Vettori on the sweep.
Tatenda Taibu followed moments later for 20, but Waller and Regis Chakabva then put on 86 before the latter was carelessly run-out for 37 coming back for a second shortly after tea, bringing about a collapse of the Zimbabwe tail.
Ray Price was out for a duck, lbw to a quicker ball by Vettori, who then had Chris Mpofu caught at short leg by Kane Williamson for his fifth wicket of the innings and 350th in Test cricket.
In-between, Chris Martin removed Kyle Jarvis and it was the paceman who finished off the innings by bowling Njabulo Ncube.
The wickets continued to fall as New Zealand began their second innings, Jarvis bowling Martin Guptill for a duck and Price trapping Brendon McCullum lbw.
NEW ZEALAND first innings 426. M. Gupatill 109; C. Mpofu 4-92.
ZIMBABWE first innings o/n 82 for one
T. Mawoyo c Watling b Vettori 5
V. Sibanda c Taylor b Brownie 93
H. Masakadza b Bracewell 22
B. Taylor lbw Vettori 50
T. Taibu c Patel b Vettori 20
M. Walker not out 72
R. Chakabva run-out 37
R .Price lbw Vettori 0
K. Jarvis c Taylor b Martin 6
C. Mpofu c Williamson b Vettori 0
N. Ncube b Martin 3
Extras: (lb-3, w-1, nb-1) 5
Total: (all out, off 121.5 overs) 313
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-83, 3-159, 4-193, 5-198, 6-284, 7-286, 8-299, 9-300.
Bowling: C. Martin 25.5-6-74-2, . Bracewell 23-12-51-1 (nb-1, w-1), D. Vettori 43-13-70-5, J. Patel 23-1-91-0, D. Brownie 4-0-13-1, K. Williamson 2-0-9-0, M. Guptil 1-0-2-0.
NEW ZEALAND second innings
B. McCullum lbw Price 11
M. Guptil b Jarvis 0
K. Williamson not out 13
J. Patel not out 4
Total: (for 2 wickets, off 7 overs) 28
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-23
Bowling: Jarvis 4-0-14-1, Ncube 2-0-12-0, Price 1-0-2-1.