Tons of fun for Latham, Nicholls
Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls couldn’t have scripted it any better.
The Black Caps’ Canterbury duo, playing at their Hagley Oval home ground in Christchurch, produced starring roles on day three of the second test against Sri Lanka yesterday.
They each brought up centuries and combined for a 214-run fourthwicket partnership, which was snapped before tea when Latham was caught behind for 176. Their huge partnership put New Zealand in a match-winning position, declaring at 585-4 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka a mammoth 660 to win.
It was the eighth test ton for Latham and the fourth for Nicholls, but for both it was their first test century in their hometown.
Sri Lanka’s second innings started dreadfully with openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Danushka Gunathilaka removed within the first two overs. Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who combined for nine wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings, both struck in their opening overs.
At stumps, Sri Lanka were 24-2, trailing by 636 runs.
Nicholls was dismissed for 98 against Bangladesh at Hagley Oval in January 2017, but got to his century with a well-run three off offspinner Gunathilaka. He went on to make 162 not out, his highest score in test cricket.
The 27-year-old Nicholls has made the No 5 test spot his own in 2018, also scoring 145 not out against England at Eden Park in March and an unbeaten 126 in the third test win over Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, which helped New Zealand to a 2-1 away series win.
It was another classy innings from Nicholls, who didn’t take any risks, nudging the ball around for ones and twos, but finding the fence when it was there to be hit.
Nicholls looks set to finish 2018 with the best average in test cricket (73.11), scoring 658 runs in the calendar year from seven matches, the same number as Latham.
Once Latham departed, Colin de Grandhomme kept the scoreboard ticking over with Nicholls. He blasted a typically aggressive de Grandhomme knock of 71 not out from 45 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes.
His half century came off just 28 balls, the fastest by a Kiwi test batsman, sneaking past Tim Southee’s 29-ball 50 against England in Napier in 2008. It was the ninth quickest half century of all-time in test cricket.
Nicholls and Latham frustrated Sri Lanka, finding the gaps and punishing the short, wide deliveries. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who were so effective on a green seamer on day one, were down on confidence as the lead continued to soar.
They didn’t ask enough questions of the pair and their standards in the field, which were impressive on the first day, also slipped.
Sri Lanka would need to break the highest successful fourth innings chase (418) achieved by the West Indies against Australia in St John’s in 2002-03 to pull of an unlikely win, which would also clinch the test series.
Latham was the star of the drawn first test in Wellington last week, hitting a test best 264 not out and was involved for the whole match either as a batsman or fielder.
He fell for 10 in the first innings in Christchurch, being caught at second slip off Suranga Lakmal, but picked up where he left off in the capital in the second dig.
The left-hander provided few chances for the Sri Lankan fieldsmen with the only opportunity being a difficult one for Dushmantha Chameera at third man on 32.
He hit 10 boundaries in his century, which came from 267 balls.
Latham’s 176 was just short of his second highest test score of 177 achieved against Bangladesh in Wellington in January 2017.
It has been a stellar series against Sri Lanka for him, scoring 450 runs from three innings at a stunning average of 225.
Latham had a tough test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, scoring 13, 0, 22, 50, 4, and 10 in the three tests, but has feasted on the Sri Lankan bowlers since returning to New Zealand.
He began day three on 74 and survived an lbw review after not offering a shot in the second over the day from Lakmal’s bowling.
New Zealand lost Ross Taylor for 40 early on day three after missing a straight one from Lahiru Kumara, and being struck on the pad. Taylor reviewed the decision,. However, ball tracker came back with the on-field umpire’s call with the ball hitting the outside of leg stump.