New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson continued his blistering form with the bat, scoring yet another century placing the hosts in the driving seat in the ongoing second Test against Pakistan at the Hagley Oval.
Williamson was at his classic best as he strolled to his 24th Test century. This was also his first at the Hagley Oval. Along with Henry Nicholls, the number one ranked Test batsman took the scoreboard from 71/3 to 286/3, which was the score with which the Kiwis ended day two.
The hosts had bowled out Pakistan on day one at 297, courtesy of Kyle Jamieson’s third Test fifer in only his third Test series. The Black Caps didn’t start their first innings on a good note losing Tom Blundell, Tom Latham, and Ross Taylor in the span of 61 deliveries and were 71/3 by the end of 30 overs. Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, and Faheem Ashraf had picked up a wicket each.
It could well have been 74/4 had it not been for a dreaded no-ball which gave Nicholls a reprieve and changed the complexion of the game.
New Zealand made the most of that present as captain Williamson and Henry Nicholls stitched an unbeaten partnership of 215 runs for the fourth wicket. Batting with precision in typical pulsating Test cricket fashion.
At Stumps on day two, Williamson was unbeaten on 112 and Nicholls on 89 as New Zealand trail by 11 runs in response to 297 put together by Pakistan in the first innings.