Taylor, Williamson centuries boost New Zealand to massive total
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson scored centuries as New Zealand posted a massive 582 for four declared in their first innings against Zimbabwe on the second day of the second test on Sunday.
Zimbabwe, in reply, were 55 without loss at stumps, with recalled opener Tino Mawoyo (20 not out) and Chamu Chibhabha (31 not out) having kept the tourists at bay for 30 overs after New Zealand declared their innings at tea. However, the day belonged to Taylor (124 not out) and Williamson (113), the latter becoming the 13th and, at 26, the youngest player to score a century against all test-playing nations. He did so in 91 innings, the quickest the feat has ever been accomplished.
Taylor passed Martin Crowe in third on the list of all-time New Zealand test run-scorers as he bagged his third unbeaten test century in a row against the Zimbabweans with another high-class knock. New Zealand resumed on 329 for two with Williamson quickly bringing up the five runs he needed for his century off 136 balls.
He eventually fell chasing a wide delivery from seamer Michael Chinouya as he picked out Craig Ervine at gully. Henry Nicholls (15) was out leg before wicket to home skipper Graeme Cremer, before Taylor and BJ Watling (83 not out) put on an unbeaten stand of 193. Zimbabwe scored only 22 runs off the first 20 overs of their reply, before upping the rate as the ball got older. They require another 328 runs to avoid the follow-on.