Watling: I just like batting

Sixteen hours unbeaten, and still batting in a test match.

New Zealand’s wicketkeeping marvel BJ Watling, with admirable backup from Mitchell Santner, ground England’s weary bowlers into the Bay Oval dirt yesterday and smashed a host of records in the process.

Both raised their highest test scores, with Watling becoming the first New Zealand gloveman to record a double-century when he was dismissed for 205 soon after tea on day four of the first test.

Santner, previous best 73, hit 126 in a tick under six hours at the crease before he was dismissed by England’s Sam Curran. The Hamilton-based duo added 261 for the seventh wicket, a New Zealand record stand beating Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram’s 225 against South Africa at Eden Park in 2004.

Their partnership was largely reponsible for New Zealand reaching 615-9 declared, a lead of 262, leaving England with four sessions to try to bat out for a draw.

Watling batted more than 11 hours 10 minutes, faced 473 balls and hit 24 fours and a six.

In his previous test innings, he batted 306 minutes and faced 226 balls in his 105 not out against Sri Lanka in Colombo in August.

Watling brushed off the physical demands of his job, batting for endless hours then crouching behind the stumps, when he spoke after reaching his century on day three.

‘‘Chris [Donaldson, trainer] works hard with us and makes sure he’s putting us through our paces and that we’re strong and fit and ready to go. I’ve played seven first-class games in a row so I feel cricket fit which is nice. And I just like batting,’’ he said.

Watling, 34, continues to raise the bar and has legitimate claim to being the world’s premier wicketkeeper-batsman of the past decade.

During his Bay Oval knock, Watling passed England’s Jonny Bairstow’s mark of 3028 runs as wicketkeeper, the most in the current decade. Bairstow’s average was 37.85; Watling’s moved to 42.94 (3092 runs). Only South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who scored 1970 runs at 59.69 in 22 tests as wicketkeeper, had a higher average in the decade.

In that period, Watling’s 217 dismissals (209 catches, eight stumpings) up until the England second innings made him the only gloveman to top 200 dismissals in the decade. England’s Matt Prior, with 198, was second ahead of Bairstow (181) and Australia’s Brad Haddin (180).

Watling passed Adam Parore’s New Zealand record for test wicketkeeping dismissals of 201 earlier this year.