Williamson crushes Pakistan with 248

Christchurch, January 5

Kane Williamson scored 238, the fourth double-century of his career and his second of the summer, as New Zealand declared with a 362-run lead over Pakistan on the third day of the second Test.

Williamson’s nine-hour innings and a 369-run fourth-wicket partnership with Henry Nicholls, who made 157, helped New Zealand declare at 659/6 in reply to Pakistan’s 297. The 11 overs remaining in the day allowed New Zealand to reduce Pakistan to 8/1 in their second innings.

Williamson briefly delayed his declaration to allow allrounder Daryl Mitchell, son of former All Blacks rugby coach and current England assistant coach John Mitchell, to reach a maiden Test century. Mitchell put on 133 with Williamson for the sixth wicket. He was 69 not out when tea was taken late after a rain-affected second session and returned knowing he had only a handful of overs to reach his hundred. He was 93 when Williamson indicated that that was to be the last over in the New Zealand innings. With a single, a pair of twos and a boundary, he reached his century off the fifth ball.

Pakistan openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali came to the crease at 6.30pm in gloom lifted a little by Hagley Oval’s new floodlights.

Kane goes past 7,000

Williamson crossed 7,000 runs in Tests, following his current teammate Ross Taylor and former captain Stephen Fleming as only New Zealanders to achieve that mark. — AP/PTI

SA sweep series

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa completed a sweep of their two-match series against Sri Lanka as they strolled to a 10-wicket win on the third day of the second Test today. South Africa knocked off a target of 67 runs without loss as openers Dean Elgar (31 not out) and Aiden Markram (36 not out) saw them to victory at the Wanderers Stadium — with two and a half days of the contest still remaining. reuters