Zak Foulkes: From Last-Minute Flight to Test Heroics
Sometimes cricket serves up stories straight out of a movie script. Zak Foulkes, just 23 years old, was home in New Zealand and thought his tour was done. Then, a late-night call: Nathan Smith was injured, and New Zealand needed him back in Zimbabwe. In less than a week, Foulkes crossed continents, barely beat jetlag, and found himself with a new role—making his Test debut in Bulawayo.
The situation was wild. Foulkes had just wrapped up a T20 tri-series in Harare, played his part, and caught a flight home. His bags were barely unpacked before New Zealand Cricket told him to get straight back on a plane. That’s a round trip through ten time zones. But there was no sign of rust once he hit the field at Queens Sports Club.
Dominating First Day: Foulkes and Henry Dismantle Zimbabwe
Thrown into the action as the first change bowler, Foulkes showed nerves of steel. His spell was the stuff every young cricketer dreams of—four wickets for only 38 runs. The highlight came when he got Zimbabwe’s mainstay, Sean Williams, with a classic delivery that moved just enough to take the edge to third slip. By the end of the innings, Zimbabwe had crumbled for just 125 runs, barely putting up a fight. Matt Henry gave Foulkes plenty of support at the other end, grabbing a stellar 5 for 40 and making sure Zimbabwe never got comfortable.
After bowling out the hosts, New Zealand went on the attack with the bat. Devon Conway looked untroubled, quickly moving to 79 not out, while Will Young scored a brisk 74. The pair’s 162-run opening stand had Zimbabwe chasing shadows, and by stumps, the Kiwis were 174 for 1 and already in command of the match.
The day was a blur for Foulkes, who admitted the reality of his debut hadn’t really sunk in. "It was nice to spend a few days at home. Then I got on the big bird back here. I was very surprised to get the call. It was surreal to make my debut today," he grinned. The only thing more unpredictable than cricket itself was probably his week leading up to the match.
Zak Foulkes isn’t entirely new to international cricket, but his rise has been fast. Growing up in Christchurch, Foulkes played for Canterbury in local tournaments before breaking into the national setup. His first call to the Black Caps came in April 2024 for a T20 tour of Pakistan, replacing another pace bowler, Adam Milne. There, Foulkes bowled in two matches, showing a level head on tough pitches. More T20s followed in Sri Lanka, and he even debuted in ODIs, though rain cut short his 50-over bow in Colombo. December 2024 kept him busy too, taking a spot in the home squad when Sri Lanka visited New Zealand for limited overs matches.
His education at St Andrew’s College in Christchurch is just a footnote now, as Foulkes is quickly becoming a first-choice pick in the national setup. For the young fast bowler, the past few weeks have brought both frantic travel and huge career moments. One thing is clear: after this debut, Foulkes is no longer just a backup—he’s a bowler who can step up when it matters most. Right now, New Zealand has every reason to think they’ve found a new star for their Test cricket future.