Bashing B-Mac destroys Sri Lankan attack

Cricket365
December 27, 2014

New Zealand racked up a whopping 429 for seven on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch, with skipper Brendon McCullum falling five runs short of a double century that he scored at a blistering pace.

McCullum was out for 195 in the afternoon after scoring the Black Caps' fastest Test ton, off 74 balls, and would have been the fastest Test double if he'd reached it. He also put on stands of 126 with Kane Williamson, and 153 with Jimmy Neesham.

The Hagley Oval hosted its first-ever Test toss, which Sri Lanka won and they opted to field. When they got the hosts three down for 88, that decision seemed a cracking one… until it wasn't.

Williamson and McCullum joined forces in the 24th over, and while they put on a century stand, Williamson was a spectator for the most part. He scored just 20 of the 126 runs they added together.

McCullum batted like a man with a mission, speed testing the new deck that non-one knew anything about. He hit a massive 11 sixes in his innings overall, as well as 18 fours. When Williamson was out for 54, Neesham also took up the sword.

Neesham batted rapidly too, as McCullum added 95 runs to his ton off just 34 deliveries. The skipper was caught by Dimuth Karunaratne in the 66th over, off Tharindu Kaushal. That poor bowler went at more than seven to his 22 overs.

Neesham advanced to 85 before departing to Angelo Mathews, and the visiting skipper also added BJ Watling to his records, which brought about stumps. At the close, Mark Craig was not out on five.