Black Caps hold advantage ahead of final day
NEW Zealand need eight wickets on the final day after once again taking the upper hand against Zimbabwe in their one-off Test in Bulawayo.
All three results remain possible, but the hosts face a difficult chase of 366 and closed day four on 61 for two after Doug Bracewell struck twice.
Zimbabwe’s Kyle Jarvis earlier took five for 64 but the tourists declared on 252 for eight after half-centuries from captain Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson.
After a couple of early lbw scares the finger finally went up when Bracewell swung one into Vusi Sibanda, who was sent on his way for 13.
New man Hamilton Masakadza hit three fours early in his innings but was dismissed when, having survived an lbw appeal earlier in the day’s final over, he played a loose cut to gully where Dean Brownlie took a superb diving catch. Tino Mawoyo remained 27 not out.
Earlier, the Black Caps added 83 runs in the morning session for the loss of only nightwatchman Jeetan Patel, who lasted four overs before he played inside the line of a delivery from Jarvis and was bowled for nine.
Williamson hit two boundaries in successive overs and Taylor lofted Ray Price for six to bring up the 50 partnership. And Williamson completed his half-century shortly after lunch by glancing Chris Mpofu for four and then hit Price for a six and a four in one over.
Taylor followed him to 50 with a single to deep cover and celebrated with a huge six off Jarvis. The bowler responded well, though he was fortunate when a ball kept low and jagged in sharply to dismiss Williamson lbw for 68.
BJ Watling made a nondescript three before popping Price to Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor at short leg and Jarvis earned a much clearer leg-before decision when Ross Taylor was caught on the walk having made 76.
He had to wait for his fifth wicket as Brendan Taylor dropped Daniel Vettori but it came when Brownlie, having hoisted Price for six, was bowled through the gate for nine. (PA Sport)

NEW ZEALAND 1st innings 426
Zimbabwe 1st innings 303
NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings
B. McCullum lbw Price    11

M. Guptill b Jarvis0      

K. Williamson lbw b Jarvis 68      

J. Patel b Jarvis9      

L. Taylor lbw b Jarvis 76      

B. Watling c Taylor b Price3      

D. Vettori c Ncube b Mpofu 31      

D. Brownlie b Jarvis9      

R. Young† not out 35      

D. Bracewell not out 1
Extras: (lb-3, nb-3, b-3) 9
Total: (for 8 wickets decl., off 71 overs)252
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-23, 3-36, 4-155, 5-167, 6-179, 7-199, 8-236.
Bowling: K. Jarvis 18-1-64-5 (nb-3), N. Ncube 10-0-41-0, R. Price 29-5-87-2, C. Mpofu 14-1-54-1.      

ZIMBABWE second innings
T. Mawoyo not out 27
V. Sibanda lbw Bracewell 13
H. Masakadza c Brownlie b Bracewell 19
Extras: (lb-1, nb-1) 2
Total: (for 2 wickets, off 23.4 overs) 61
Fall of wickets1-25, 2-61
Bowling: C. Martin 6-0-26-0, D. Bracewell 5.4 -0-17-2 (nb-1), D. Vettori 7-4-5-0, J. Patel 4-1-11-0, M. Guptil 1-0-1-0.