Williamson and Nicholls double tons put NZ on top

WELLINGTON: Aggressive double centuries for Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls powered New Zealand’s dominance in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington on Saturday.

The Black Caps declared their first innings at an imposing 580-4 before reducing Sri Lanka to 26-2 at stumps on day two, leaving the tourists with a very slim prospect of squaring the two-match series.

The in-form Williamson scored 215 and Nicholls posted a career-best 200 not out, with the pair’s third-wicket stand of 363 virtually batting Sri Lanka out of the contest.

Their partnership was the fifth-highest by any New Zealand combination and they became the country’s first batters to reach 200 in the same innings.

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne will resume on 16 on Sunday and nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya remains on four, with the deficit a daunting 554 runs.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to generate life on a flat Basin Reserve pitch, forcing Karunaratne to set defensive fields during much of the mammoth partnership.

Williamson and Nicholls batted at a lively clip from the outset, advancing quickly from a 155-2 overnight score and barely looking troubled as they unleashed an array of attacking strokes through the first two sessions.

Williamson was impenetrable as he reached three figures for the third time in successive Tests, becoming the first New Zealander to pass 8,000 runs in the process.

It was a sixth double-century for the 32-year-old – whose unbeaten 121 was pivotal in a final-ball first Test in Christchurch earlier this week.

Having resumed on 26, Williamson struck 23 fours and two sixes before holing out in the deep off spinner Jayasuriya as he tried to escalate the scoring rate.

Nicholls marched on from his overnight 18 to reach three figures before pushing past his previous-best score of 174.

His aggressive 240-ball knock, which featured four sixes, represented a remarkable return to form for the left-hander, whose place in the team was under pressure after failing to reach 40 in his 15 previous innings.

Nicholls said he was aware of criticism of his ongoing selection but said he was made to feel comfortable by support from his teammates and coach Gary Stead.

“Everyone in the group’s been great and you really feel that support,” he said.

Score Board

Sri Lanka won the toss

New Zealand 1st innings

Latham c Jayasuriya b Rajitha 21

Conway c & b de Silva 78

Williamson c sub b Jayasuriya 215

Nicholls not out 200

Mitchell c & b Rajitha 17

Blundell not out 17

Extras: (b2, lb17, nb8, w5) 32

Total: (for 4 wickets; 123 overs) 580/d

Fall of wickets: 1-87 (Latham), 2-118 (Conway), 3-481 (Williamson), 4-530 (Mitchell)

Bowling: K. Rajitha 32-6-126-2 (6nb), A. Fernando 26-6-110-0 (2w, 1nb), L. Kumara 25-1-164-0 (3w), D. de Silva 19-3-75-1 (1nb), P. Jayasuriya 21-1-86-1

Sri Lanka 1st innings

Fernando c Blundell b Henry 6

Karunaratne not out 16

Mendis c Conway b D. Bracewell 0

Jayasuriya not out 4

Total: (for 2 wickets, 17 overs) 26

To bat: A. Mathews, D. Chandimal, D. de Silva, N. Madushka, K. Rajitha, A. Fernando, L. Kumara

Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Fernando), 2-18 (Mendis)

Bowling: T. Southee 6-3-5-0, M. Henry 7-3-15-1, D. Bracewell 3-2-1-1, M. Bracewell 1-0-5-0

Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENG), Chris Gaffaney (NZL)