Black Caps shatter records
Kane Williamson notched his second double century in tests and his first in more than four years as the Black Caps ripped up the record books in the first test against Bangladesh in Hamilton.
The Black Caps captain resumed unbeaten on 93 and reached his ton early on day three, becoming the first New Zealander to score 20 test centuries, before the hosts accelerated to their highest test total in reply to Bangladesh’s 234 all out at Seddon Park.
Williamson was in the middle with nightwatchman Neil Wagner when first raising his bat yesterday, but he would do so again in the second session with the Black Caps declaring on 715-6, a whopping 481 runs ahead.
It was the highest test total at Seddon Park, New Zealand’s biggest first-innings lead in tests, and the second highest test total against Bangladesh after Sri Lanka’s 730-6 declared in Dhaka in January, 2014.
The Black Caps also bettered their previous highest test total of 690 set against Pakistan in Sharjah in November, 2014.
‘‘It’s right up there. It’s obviously historic and the contributions throughout that innings make it very special and I know the guys are very proud,’’ Black Caps batting coach Craig McMillan said.
A New Zealand victory is likely today with Bangladesh hanging on at 174-4 at stumps, trailing by 307, after Wagner first removed Shadman Islam for 37, then Trent Boult struck to dismiss Mominul Haque (8) and Mohammad Mithun (0).
BJ Watling matched the New Zealand test record (201) for wicketkeeper dismissals when catching Tamim Iqbal (74) off Tim Southee, leaving Soumya Sarkar (39) and captain Mahmudullah (15) to resume on day four.
But it was Williamson’s day with his batting masterclass.
‘‘It’s not easy and it takes a lot of hard work behind the scenes to create those opportunities. He created those partnerships we talk a lot about within our batting group,’’ McMillan said.
‘‘He goes about his work with minimal fuss and he scores about as quickly as anybody in world cricket.’’
Tamim and Shadman showed fight in passing 50 for the first wicket for the second time in the match, but the tourists were demoralised following 163 overs in the field when the Black Caps scored freely at 4.38 runs an over in their record-breaking innings.
On Friday, openers Jeet Raval (132) and Tom Latham (161) shared 254 for New Zealand’s first wicket, breaking plenty of milestones, but Williamson would set even more after he brought up three figures off 143 deliveries.
The skipper, who passed 6000 runs in tests before lunch, led with consummate ease as the scoreboard looked uglier at every glance for Bangladesh’s inexperienced bowlers.
Wagner chipped in with his best test score (47 from 35 balls) in a breezy knock that ended when debutant seamer Ebadat Hossain took his first test wicket from an edge through to wicketkeeper Liton Das.
Watling then departed for 31, nicking one to Liton from spinner Mehidy Hasan, whose 2-246 go down as the most runs conceded by a bowler in a test innings in New Zealand.
As Colin de Grandhomme played with his trademark gusto to rapidly reach his fifth test 50 (76 from 53 balls), Williamson batted on and on.
He cruised past Seddon Park’s highest individual test score (192) before reaching 200 off 257 balls having hit 19 fours – his last, a perfectly executed pull shot, bringing the declaration.
Williamson’s only previous double century was his unbeaten 242 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2015.