Williamson-Watling Record Stand Punished Sri Lanka

Wellington: Mark Craig dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne in the final 15 minutes of play to give New Zealand a edge in the second test as Sri Lanka reached 45 for one, chasing 390 for victory, at the close of the fourth day's play on Tuesday.

Kaushal Silva was on 20 with night watchman Dhammika Prasad on one after he came to the crease when Craig had Karunaratne caught by Hamish Rutherford at mid-off for 17 to reduce Sri Lanka to 42 for one.

The tourists, who need to win the game to level the two-match series after New Zealand won the first by eight wickets, had the game taken away from them on Tuesday by a world record partnership between Kane Williamson and BJ Watling.

Sri Lanka had been looking at victory inside three days before Williamson and Watling came together after lunch on Monday with the hosts 159 for five and holding a 24-run lead.

When Brendon McCullum declared New Zealand's innings closed at 524 for five after tea on Tuesday, the pair had produced a world record sixth-wicket stand of 365 and achieved their highest test scores.

Williamson was 242 not out, his maiden test double century, while Watling was on 142.

Their partnership surpassed the 352 Watling and McCullum scored against India last year, also at the Basin Reserve, where the wicketkeeper-batsman made his previous best score of 124.

Watling achieved his fourth test century after lunch with a short single into the offside.

Williamson, who was dropped on 29, 60 and 104, quickly surpassed his previous best score of 192 after tea and then hit Rangana Herath over mid-wicket for his 13th boundary to register his double century.

The pair upped the tempo as they recognised a declaration was in the offing and Williamson should have been stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene when he was on 233, the team score on 500 and their partnership on 341.

Brief scors
New Zealand - 221 (Williamson 69, Pradeep 4-63, Lakmal 3-71) and 524/5 dec (Williamson 242*, Watling 142*)
Sri Lanka - 356 (Sangakkara 203, Chandimal 67, Neesham 3-42) and 45/1
Status - Sri Lanka need 345 runs to win

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