Williamson, Nicholls Hurt Pakistan with Triple-Century Stand

In the second Test against Pakistan, Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls continued their formidable partnership as New Zealand reached 400 for three on Tuesday at lunch on day three in Christchurch.

With Williamson on 153 and Nicholls on 138, it put New Zealand 103 ahead as he kept batting amid a heavy calf strain that limited him to hobbling between the wickets, reports AFP.

Their unbroken 329-run stand is a fourth-wicket mark for New Zealand, surpassing Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder's previous best of 271 against India 11 years ago.

It also maintained the good understanding the duo had the last time they were in the middle together in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan after their 133-run partnership.

New Zealand resumed the day at 286 for three with the number 11 prominent in their early targets.

To equal Pakistan's first innings 297, they needed 11 runs, Williamson needed 11 to become the third New Zealander to hit 7,000 test runs, while Nicholls needed 11 to score his seventh 100.

In the sixth over of the day, Williamson accomplished the first target with a four glancing down the leg side, just short of diving wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, to send the first innings lead to New Zealand.

Nicholls, who used up two lives early in his innings, had a third on 92 when he was dropped by Azhar Ali and progressed to reach 100 with a cover drive to the boundary.

It moved him into the top 10 of New Zealand century-makers which is headed by Williamson, who has scored 24 hundreds.

Williamson, in his usual patient role, worked his way through 33 deliveries before a single off Mohammad Abbas made him the third New Zealander behind Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming to reach 7,000 runs.