Williamson ton puts New Zealand on top

LONDON: Kane Williamson’s century gave New Zealand a significant lead over England in the first Test at Lord’s on Saturday.
New Zealand were 507 for eight at tea on the third day, 118 runs ahead following England’s first innings 389.
Williamson made 132, having shared stands of 189 with Ross Taylor (62) and 66 with McCullum (42).
He also put on an even 50, with BJ Watling, 47 not out at tea.
England debutant paceman Mark Wood took two wickets for four runs in 18 balls either side of a rain break and off-spinner Moeen Ali two for none in three.
But by then the damage had been done, with England in danger of breaking India’s unwanted record of 76 extras in a Test innings after conceding 67 additional runs.
New Zealand resumed Saturday on 303 for two, with Williamson 92 not out and Taylor unbeaten on 47.
England with the new ball available just three overs after the start of Saturday’s play, opened proceedings with Ali.
Williamson promptly helped himself to five runs before a three down to third man off James Anderson saw the New Zealand number three — unlike England’s Joe Root and Ben Stokes who’d both fallen in the 90s earlier in this match — to a hundred.
Batting with impressive serenity for a 24-year-old, Williamson’s century came in just over three hours off 148 balls including 12 fours.
It was the talented Williamson’s 10th hundred in 40 Tests — an impressive strike-rate — and the 14th by a New Zealand batsman in a Test at Lord’s.
But batting in overcast conditions became significantly more challenging once England took the new ball.
The extra bounce on offer proved Taylor’s undoing when he fended at a rising ball from Stuart Broad and was brilliantly caught, one-handed down the legside at full stretch, by diving wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, struck his first ball, from Broad, through cover-point for four in typically aggressive fashion.
McCullum, much praised for his dynamism during New Zealand’s run to the World Cup final, ignored the difficulties of batting in overcast conditions to pull Ben Stokes for six.
But he gave his wicket away after an outside-edge off an attempted pull against Wood flew to Root at third man.
McCullum faced just 38 balls, including six fours and a six.
Wood, denied a first Test wicket on Friday by an umpire review for a marginal no-ball, saw fortune again turn in his favour when Buttler held another superb catch to dismiss Corey Anderson off a genuine leg-glance.
Williamson, who survived a stumping chance on 92 on Friday, was then given another reprieve when he guided the first ball of Stokes’s new spell behind only for Ian Bell to drop the second slip catch.
It was the second time in the match that Bell had dropped a slip catch off the unlucky Durham all-rounder.
Williamson was eventually out when an inside edge off his pad against Ali was caught by Gary Ballance at backward short leg.
Two balls later Mark Craig was lbw for a duck but Watling kept the scoreboard ticking over.
And Test debutant Matt Henry got off the mark by driving Ali for four to bring up New Zealand’s 500.
Score Board
New Zealand won toss
England 1st innings 389 all-out (J Root 98, B Stokes 92; Boult 4-79)
New Zealand 1st innings
M J Guptill c Ballance b Broad 70
T W M Latham lbw b Ali 59
K S Williamson c Ballance b Ali 132
L R P L Taylor c Buttler b Broad 62
*B B McCullum c Root b Wood 42
C J Anderson c Buttler b Wood 9
†B J Watling not out 47
M D Craig lbw b Ali 0
T G Southee c Wood b Anderson 11
M J Henry not out 8
Extras (b 26, lb 34, w 6, nb 1) 67
Total (8 wickets; 127 overs) 507
To bat: T A Boult
Fall: 1-148, 2-148, 3-337, 4-403, 5-420, 6-470, 7-470, 8-493
Bowling: Anderson 29-7-88-1 (1w); Broad 26-4-77-2 (1w); Wood 25-2-82-2 (1nb); Stokes 21-2-105-0; Ali 24-3-89-3; Root 2-0-6-0
Test debuts: A Lyth and M A Wood (England); M J Henry (New Zealand)
Umpires: M Erasmus (South Africa) and S Ravi (India). TV umpire: R J Tucker (Australia). Match referee: D C Boon (Australia)