Kane Williamson and BJ Watling put on world record 365 against Sri Lanka
Tuesday 6 January 2015 11:53, UK
Kane Williamson and BJ Watling’s world record sixth-wicket partnership of 365 put New Zealand in charge of the second Test with Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve.
Williamson scored 242 not out and Watling 142no as they surpassed the 352 Watling put on with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum against India last year at the same ground.
Their superb partnership allowed McCullum to declare the Kiwis’ second innings on 524-5, setting Sri Lanka 390 to win and level the two-match series, and the tourists go into the final day on 42-1.
The Kiwis had started the day on 253-5 and they began the day in defensive mode, satisfied with picking up ones and twos.
At lunch they had reached 325-5, Williamson – who started the fourth day on 80no – bringing up his ninth Test century in the process.
Watling reached his fourth Test century after lunch with a short single into the offside.
Williamson, who was dropped on 29, 60 and 104, quickly surpassed his previous best score of 192 after tea and then hit Rangana Herath over mid-wicket for his 13th boundary to register his double century.
The pair upped the tempo as they recognised a declaration was in the offing and Williamson should have been stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene when he was on 233, the team score on 500.
McCullum decided he had enough runs in the bank and declared, and before the close Mark Craig dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne, caught by Hamish Rutherford at mid-off for 17.
Kaushal Silva is on 20 with nightwatchman Dhammika Prasad on one.
Williamson is one of the form batsmen in world cricket – he has now scored 732 runs in his last eight Test innings with an average of 146.4.
