HARARE, Aug 12: New Zealand were flying the 450 kilometres from Harare to Bulawayo on Friday for the second and final Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club beginning on Monday.

It will relieve some of the efforts to avoid boredom caused by polishing off Zimbabwe in two of the five scheduled days of the first Test here. They had the last of several practice sessions here on Friday morning.

After New Zealand declared on 452-9 during the first Test last Sunday, Zimbabwe were blown away by the four main Kiwi bowlers Shane Bond, Chris Martin, James Franklin and Daniel Vettori for 59 and then for 99, causing an ignominious defeat for the home side by an innings and 294 runs.

Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming commented afterwards that the size of Zimbabwe’s defeat was “very bad for them indeed, but a good one for us. What else can I say except that I expect them to improve a lot?”

The Zimbabwe camp remain optimistic, as they have done throughout the 16 months long debate about their Test status.

Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka conceded “It was a bad day.” But he added: “We know the potential is definitely there and we just need more time.”

Neither side has yet revealed what changes they might make for the Bulawayo match.

Fleming needs only 15 runs to each 6 000 in his Test career, and following his 73 runs at Harare, he is more than likely to succeed.

Daniel Vettori passed his 200 wickets landmark on Monday, taking his total to 204. Chris Cairns has more, with 218, but he is being held back for the one-day series that involves India, starting on Aug 24 at Bulawayo.

Heath Streak, the experienced Zimbabwe all-rounder, needs to score 61 for his 2,000 in Tests, easily the highest among the Zimbabweans.

For the first time in the debate about Zimbabwe’s Test status, a local national newspaper suggestion that they be stripped of their status sending shock waves through cricketing circles.—AFP