Williamson and Nicholls put Black Caps on brink of series success
A 369-RUN partnership between double-centurion Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls left New Zealand closing in on a 2-0 series sweep over Pakistan in the second Test in Christchurch.
Skipper Williamson, the world’s top-ranked Test batsman, took his overnight 112 to a masterful 238 - an innings lasting nine-and-a-half hours - while Nicholls went from 89 to reach 157.
The pair took the Black Caps from a precarious 71-3 to 440-4, making their country’s highest fourth-wicket partnership, and third-highest overall.
All-rounder Daryl Mitchell also reached three figures before New Zealand eventually declared at 659-6 for a first-innings lead of 362. Pakistan, after their first-innings 297, went to stumps at 8-1, after Shan Masood recorded his third successive duck.
Victory would confirm New Zealand’s ranking as Test cricket’s top team. They achieved the status provisionally with their first Test victory, but the International Cricket Council only confirms rankings at the end of a series.
On a day of rain interruptions in which an extended second session yielded New Zealand 201 runs, Pakistan’s attack was quickly dispirited, not helped by some sloppy fielding, with Williamson and Nicholls both dropped a number of times. Four Pakistan bowlers conceded 100-plus runs, with a fifth going for 98.
Mitchell claimed a maiden hundred in his fourth Test, reaching 102 off 112 balls before Williamson declared.
Lungi Ngidi struck four times as South Africa won the second Test against Sri Lanka by 10 wickets inside three days in Johannesburg.
Mark Boucher claimed his first Test series win as Proteas coach, as South Africa sealed a 2-0 victory against the Sri Lankans.
Dimuth Karunaratne struck 103 but Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 35 runs to end their second innings on 211, with Ngidi claiming 4-44.
That left South Africa needing just 67 for victory.