New Zealand A eased to a 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe A in Harare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The hosts were on the back foot when they conceded a lead of 270 in the first innings and were 164 for 4 at the end of the third day after being asked to follow-on. The rest of the middle order and the lower order, despite offering some resistance, could not measure up to the New Zealand bowlers.
The star for the visitors was medium-pacer Brent Arnel, who bagged a career-best haul of 8 for 81. He had taken three wickets on the third day and ran through the rest of the line-up on the fourth, dismissing overnight batsmen Taurai Muzarabani and Malcolm Waller. Wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva and Timycen Maruma put together a 67-run stand of the eighth wicket but it was Arnel who saw them off as well, before bowling out Zimbabwe. New Zealand only had to chase a target of 18 and they did so with all their wickets intact.