Three New Zealand batters scored 150s on day two (August 8) of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo

Three New Zealand batters scored 150s on day two (August 8) of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, equalling a world record in the process.

Batting on day two, New Zealand's batters piled on the runs. Devon Conway, who averages 29.09 since his last Test hundred against Pakistan in January 2023, struck a 245-ball 153 to break his over two-year-long drought.

The partnership that stole the show, however, was the unbeaten 256-run unbeaten stand between Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra. It is already the third-highest for the fourth wicket for New Zealand, surpassing the previous best of 243 between Nathan Astle and Matt Horne in 1998, also against Zimbabwe.

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Nicholls, playing his comeback series since December 2023, finished the day unbeaten on 150, while Rachin Ravindra remained not out on 165 as New Zealand went to stumps at 601-3.

New Zealand have equalled the long-standing Test record for most 150-plus scores in a single innings, with three scores of that size a feat previously achieved only twice in history.

The record had remained untouched since 1986, when India's Sunil Gavaskar (176), Mohammad Azharuddin (199), and Kapil Dev (163) all surpassed 150 in a drawn Test against Sri Lanka at Kanpur.

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The first instance dates back to 1938 during England's Ashes Test at The Oval, where Len Hutton (364), Maurice Leyland (187), and Joe Hardstaff (169*) dominated Australia's bowling attack in a series-levelling 579 runs innings win.

Most 150-plus scores in a Test innings

Teams Opposition No. of 150+ Scores Venue Year
England Australia 3 The Oval 1938
India Sri Lanka 3 Kanpur 1986
New Zealand Zimbabwe 3 Bulawayo 2025

New Zealand lead Zimbabwe by 476 runs overnight, after bowling Zimbabwe out for 125 in the first innings – their second-highest first-innings lead in Test history.

The national record remains 481 runs, set against Bangladesh in the 2019 Hamilton Test. While they are close to surpassing this mark, New Zealand are also within reach of entering the all-time top three for largest first-innings leads: England's 702 vs Australia (1938), Sri Lanka's 587 vs South Africa (2006) and Pakistan's 570 vs New Zealand (2002).

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