Perth: New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc joined elite company as bat continued to dominate ball on the third day of the second Test against Australia at the WACA Ground on Sunday.
In reply to Australia’s formidable 559 for nine declared on a placid wicket, the Kiwis were 510 for six at stumps, trailing by just 49 runs. Ross Taylor emerged from a form slump and scored his second Test double century to be a career-best 235 not out, with Mark Craig on seven.
Williamson became one of the four youngest players to reach 12 Test centuries when he made 166, while Starc bowled what is believed to be the fastest recorded delivery in Test cricket.
Williamson rarely looked troubled in posting his second century in as many matches, before mistiming a pull shot off Josh Hazlewood and was caught at mid-on by Mitchell Johnson to end a record 265-run stand with Taylor, a new benchmark for New Zealand in Tests against Australia.
He faced 250 balls in 390 minutes and hit 24 boundaries. The 25-year-old made 140 and 59 in the first Test at the Gabba, which New Zealand lost by 208 runs, and continued that form in Perth.
It was his 12th Test century and only three other players have scored as many centuries at the same age which include Sachin Tendulkar (16), Don Bradman (13) and Alastair Cook (12). However, Williamson played down the comparisons.
“I don’t think I’m in that company,” he said. “It is just nice to be scoring runs, helping the team out, trying to move the team forward and trying to get results, that’s what it’s about.”
Williamson has made centuries in five of his last seven Tests against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and Australia. Taylor was a little less sure at the crease and flirted with disaster on a couple of occasions, but recovered to post his 13th Test hundred and looked increasingly comfortable during his innings.
SCOREBOARD
Australia (1st innings): 559/9 decl.
New Zealand (1st innings): M. Guptill lbw Starc 1, T. Latham c Smith b Lyon 36, K. Williamson c Johnson b Hazlewood 166, R. Taylor (batting) 235, B. McCullum b Marsh 27, B.J. Watling c Lyon b Starc 1, D. Bracewell c Neville b Johnson 12, M. Craig (batting) 7. Extras (b-7, lb-10, w-5, nb-3) 25. Total (for six wickets in 129 overs) 510.
FoW: 1-6, 2-87, 3-352, 4-432, 5-447, 6-485.
Bowling: Starc 30-6-5-83-2, Hazlewood 27-2-98-1, Johnson 24-2-131-1, Lyon 30-4-93-1, Marsh 15-1-73-1, Smith 3-0-15-0.
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