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The Black Caps have accumulated in the races and milestones at the beginning of the third day of the second test against Pakistan in Christchurch.
Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls, playing valiantly with a strained left calf that visibly worries him, have put tourists to the sword in the morning session, scoring 114 runs to move New Zealand to 400-3 at lunch.
That’s a 103-run lead over Pakistan, which scored 297 on day one, and there is no sign of the foot sticking out of the throat in the afternoon.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Henry Nicholls congratulated New Zealand’s Kane Williamson after scoring half a century.
Williamson is at 153 and Nicholls 138.
Nicholls, struggling despite sustaining the injury at the end of the second day, resumed in 89 and was the first to score a milestone, bringing his seventh century of testing with the 10th limit of his innings.
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However, he continued to use his luck after falling at 92 when Azhar Ali threw a relatively simple canyoning opportunity, and then again at 133 when Naseem Shah dropped a difficult catch and throw opportunity. On Monday, Nicholls was caught behind a no-ball when he was at 3, and was brought down by goalkeeper Mohammad Rizwan at 86.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Henry Nicholls from New Zealand receives medical help from the physical therapist.
Soon after, Williamson, who had started the day at 112, became the third New Zealander behind Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming to score 7,000 test runs, in just his 83rd test, when he hit 123.
Highlighting its world-class status, only 12 players have reached 7,000 runs in fewer innings than Williamson’s 144.
The next milestone was a record fourth-field partnership for New Zealand against all countries, eclipsing the 271 Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder together against India at Napier in 2009.
By lunch, the Williamson-Nicholls effort was undefeated in 329 runs, only New Zealand’s sixth test partnership for any terrain against any opposition exceeding 300 runs.
Williamson then passed 150 for the eighth time in test cricket, just before lunch.
Nicholls had been cleared to hit after a morning net session, although the Black Caps said he would need to handle the injury for the remainder of the test and then undergo rehab after further evaluation.
Resuming at 286-3, the pair faced three maiden overs to start the day, but once they got underway, the races flowed freely.
New Zealand is eager to move on and build a huge lead in the first inning as it looks to sweep the two-match series 2-0 and move to No. 1 in the world test rankings, and keep alive hopes of reaching the final of World Trials Championship in June.
MOST TESTS ARE EXECUTED FOR NEW ZEALAND
Ross Taylor – 7379
Stephen Fleming – 7172
Kane Williamson – 7030 *
Brendon McCullum – 6453
Martin Crowe – 5444
John Wright – 5334
Nathan Astle – 4702
Daniel Vettori – 4523
Tom Latham – 3929
BJ Watling – 3766
HIGHEST TEST ALLIANCES FOR NEW ZEALAND
Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones – 467 for the third wicket against Sri Lanka, Wellington, 1991
Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis – 387 for first wicket against West Indies, Georgetown, 1972
Kane Williamson and BJ Watling – 365 * for the sixth wicket against Sri Lanka, Wellington, 2015
Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling – 352 for sixth field v India, Wellington, 2014
Martin Guptill & Brendon McCullum – 339 for the sixth wicket v Bangladesh, Hamilton, 2010
Kane Williamson & Henry Nicholls – 329 * for the fourth wicket against Pakistan, Christchurch, 2021
