Zimbabwe win toss and bowl against N. Zealand

Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl against New Zealand on a green-top wicket in a one-off Test in Napier on Thursday.

New Zealand, riding high after a win over Australia in Hobart last month, enter the match as favourites but were pushed hard by Zimbabwe at their last Test meeting in Bulawayo in November.

Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said his side face a daunting task in its first away Test since returning to the long form of the game last August.

"It's definitely going to be challenging for us but it's been exciting over the last six months and we've played some decent cricket," he said.

"We've taken taken games deep into five days and that's good for us."

Taylor said he was backing his bowlers to make an early impression against the Black Caps on a green wicket promising bounce and movement.

"We're going to have a bowl, it something different to what we're used to playing on back home so we're just going to have a gauge and see how we go," he said. "Hopefully we'll make a good start."

Teams:

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor (capt), Dean Brownlie, Daniel Vettori, B.J. Watling, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Chris Martin. Sam Wells (12th man).

Zimbabwe: Tino Mawoyo, Hamilton Masakadza, Forster Mutizwa, Brendan Taylor (capt), Tatenda Taibu, Malcolm Waller, Regis Chakabva, Graeme Cremer, Shingi Masakadza, Brian Vitori, Kyle Jarvis. Elton Chigumbura (12th man)

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) Enamul Hoque Moni (BAN)

Match referee: David Doon (AUS)

Third umpire: Nigel Llong (ENG)