Williamson 200* headlines a record-breaking day for New Zealand

Kane Williamson's double century headlined another day of dominance for New Zealand, who posted their highest total in Test cricket before leaving Bangladesh four down at Stumps. Williamson's unbeaten 200 powered New Zealand to 715/6 declared - the second highest total posted against Bangladesh - following which Neil Wagner, Trent Boult and Tim Southee got amongst the wickets to leave Bangladesh at 174/4 at the end of Day 3 of the first Test in Hamilton on Saturday (March 2), still 307 runs behind.

The reply from Bangladesh, following New Zealand's declaration an hour into the second session, revolved around Tamim, who dealt in boundaries from the word go like he did in the first innings. Cracking drives through the cover region were on display again while he didn't hesitate to take on the short deliveries as well, clearing the fence behind square off Tim Southee for his first maximum of the innings. Shadman Islam began in a slightly sedate fashion before hitting the straps with a couple of fours off Southee, who yet again had an expensive start with the ball while Trent Boult also went for a few before Tea.

Wagner created an opportunity when he got Tamim to top edge a pull in the final session but Boult was late to pick the ball at fine leg and a valiant dive went in vain. Tamim was fortunate on one more occasion when he tried to duck under a Wagner delivery but the ball clipped the back of his bat and flew over the 'keeper. The relentless Wagner eventually reaped the reward when he got Shadman out with a short delivery following Tamim's fifty. Mominul Haque followed soon after, getting a thick edge off a Boult delivery and the left-arm pacer picked up another after a loose shot from Mithun resulted in a catch to Williamson at gully.

Tamim's habit of ducking while holding the bat high came back to hurt him as he got one off the back of his bat off Southee to hand the 'keeper a catch. More drama followed as Mahmudullah appeared to have nicked a Southee delivery but on-field umpire Paul Reiffel ruled in favour of the batsman. Upon review, there was a mark on hot spot but the spike on snicko appeared a frame after the ball had passed the bat, which did not convince third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge despite the bat being a long way away from the pads. Soumya Sarkar also had a lucky break, with the neck guard that came off after a bouncer nearly falling on the stumps. Both Sarkar and Mahmudullah handled a barrage of short deliveries and saw Bangladesh through to Stumps without further damage.

Earlier, the second session was all about milestones as Williamson continued to make merry against a hapless Bangladesh attack, with de Grandhomme joining him in the fun with an unbeaten 76 oiff 53 balls. The burly all-rounder dealt in maximums with Mehidy Hasan feeling the brunt of his attack as the bowler recorded the most expensive figures for Bangladesh in an innings. Mehidy ended up conceding 246 runs, the sixth most expensive figures in Test cricket.

There were plenty of landmarks from New Zealand's perspective as they recorded their first 700-plus total, going past the 689 they had posted against Pakistan in Sharjah in November 2014, with the Williamson-de Grandhomme combo bringing up the third century stand of the innings. De Grandhomme got to his fifth Test fifty, off 38 deliveries, while Williamson surpassed Stephen Fleming's knock of 192 against Pakistan in December 2003 to register the highest individual score in Seddon Park. The declaration came soon after Williamson reached his second double hundred, which he got in style when he pulled Abu Jayed for a boundary.

The day began with Williamson dealing in singles to get to his 20th Test hundred while nightwatchman Wagner handled the job of finding the boundaries as he contributed 47 in a 60-run stand with the New Zealand captain. Following Wagner's dismissal, Williamson and BJ Watling put on a 96-run stand, with the New Zealand skipper going past 6000 runs in Tests - becoming the quickest to do so from his country. New Zealand crossed the 600-run mark before Watling departed on the brink of Lunch, caught down the leg side off Mehidy.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 234 & 174/4 (Tamim Iqbal 74, Soumya Sarkar 39*; Trent Boult 2-53) trail New Zealand 715/6 decl. (Kane Williamson 200*, Tom Latham 161, Jeet Raval 132; Soumya Sarkar 2-68) by 307 runs.

Source: Cricbuzz