Christchurch, New Zealand: Brendon McCullum smashed 195, including the fastest test century by a New Zealander and became the first Kiwi to score 1,000 test runs in a calendar year as he lifted his team to 429-7 at stumps Friday on the first day of the first test against Sri Lanka.
The New Zealand captain reached the 11th test century of his career from only 74 balls with an outstanding display of power hitting between lunch and tea, then went close to his third double century in 2014 as New Zealand took command of the first match of a two-test series.
McCullum blasted 18 fours and 11 sixes in an innings of 202 minutes and only 134 balls, taking his tally of runs in nine tests this year to 1,164 at an average of 72.75. He was out, caught in the deep, chasing a six which would have given him the fastest double century in minutes in test history.
Don Bradman scored 200 in 214 minutes against England at Leeds in 1930 to set that mark; when McCullum was out in the 66th over of New Zealand's innings on Friday, he still had 12 minutes to eclipse it. McCullum had already this year scored a double century from 186 balls — the fourth fastest in history — against Pakistan.
McCullum started the year with a double century against India on Feb. 6 — New Zealand's national holiday — and ended it 10 months and eight tests later with a century to accompany his triple century and two double centuries in 2014.
The skipper was equally punishing on the seam bowlers and Sri Lanka's only spinner, Tharindu Kaushal, who had a torrid test debut, conceding 159-1 from 22 overs. Kaushal had the consolation of claiming McCullum's wicket, caught by Dimuth Karunaratne.
Disappointingly for the visitors, Sri Lanka won the toss Friday and unhesitatingly chose to bowl first, naming a lineup which included captain Angelo Mathews among four seamers. The toss was thought to be influential because Hagley Oval, venue of the opening match in next year's World Cup and hosting a test match for the first time, provided a green pitch which was expected to provide pace, bounce and seam movement.
McCullum admitted he also would have bowled.
"I think when you lose a toss like that and you're put in on a pitch which has got a bit of greenery about it, it can go one of two ways," he said. "I guess the aggressive option we took today worked out well.
"I'm not too statistically driven. I knew that (1,000 runs) was not too far away but you've still got to be respectful of the game and once we got away and I established a partnership with Kane (Williamson) runs sort of flew."
The first session was a tepid introduction to what followed. Openers Hamish Rutherford (18) and Tom Latham (27) survived the first hour, putting only 37 for the first wicket in 13 overs. Latham was out close to lunch, when New Zealand was 84-2, and Ross Taylor was run out just after the break at 88-3.
Sri Lanka was in the match at that point but when Lakmal dropped Williamson on 39 as he and McCullum restored momentum for the hosts with a 126-run stand.
McCullum rushed on to a half century from 45 balls, while Williamson took more than twice as many delivers — 92 — to reach the same mark. Then, with a barrage of boundaries, McCullum dashed to his century from only 74 balls, eclipsing the 81-ball century by Taylor which was previously the fastest by a New Zealander.
He lost Williamson soon after but found a kindred spirit in Jimmy Neesham who reached his own half century from only 52 balls with eight fours and a six. Together they put on 153 for the fifth wicket.
Neesham was eventually out, caught at slip by Kumar Sangakkara for 85 off 80 balls which included 10 fours and three sixes. Sangakkara atoned for dropping McCullum in the outfield when he was 153.
