Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) | Devon Conway moved closer to his fifth test hundred on Thursday as New Zealand took firm control of its first cricket test against Zimbabwe in almost nine years.

Conway was 87 not out as New Zealand progressed to 174-3 at lunch on Day 2, 25 runs ahead of Zimbabwe's below-par first innings 149.

Zimbabwe couldn't have asked for a better start when tall fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani (2-50) had Will Young (41) caught at forward short leg off the first ball after the Black Caps resumed on 92-0.

Nick Welch moved timely to his left and grabbed a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Young before Henry Nicholls (34) and Conway produced a 66-run stand.

Both left-handed batters were briefly troubled by pace bowler Newman Nyamhuri, when edges fell short of the fielders behind the wicket, before Conway lifted New Zealand past Zimbabwe's first-innings score with a straight-driven boundary off Nyamhuri.

Nicholls, playing his first test since Dec. 2023, completed 3,000 test runs when he reached 27 but gifted his wicket when he slashed Muzarabani straight to Brian Bennett at gully.

Sikandar Raza got some turn from the pitch and accounted for Rachin Ravindra (2), when captain Craig Ervine caught him at the second attempt as the lone slip.

Conway, who had completed his half-century on Day 1, was fluent with his driving, especially on the off side, bisecting the fielders against anything over-pitched by Zimbabwe's fast bowlers. He has hit 12 fours and will resume with Daryl Mitchell, who is unbeaten on 9.

The two-match series is not part of the World Test Championship.