BJ Watling's First Ton vs England Leads New Zealand's Hunt at Leeds
BJ Watling's unbeaten century in the second innings of the Leeds Test has showcased the Kiwi batsmen's rather understated talent, once again.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: June 01, 2015 10:07 AM IST
BJ Watling's well-timed 100* against England in the second innings of the Leeds Test helped his team dominate proceedings on Sunday. The 29-year-old batsman missed out in the first innings - scoring just 14 even as his teammates scored by the dozen. In the second innings though, there was no stopping him as New Zealand took a 338-run lead with four wickets to spare. (Scorecard)
Watling - batting at No. six - has a positive approach right from the start and it helped his complete his first-ever Test century against England. The South-Africa born cricketer took just 137 balls to reach the three-figure mark for the fifth time in the longest format of the game. He hit 13 fours and a solitary six.
While a ton against England may have eluded him thus far, Watling has had an incredible year in Tests so far. He averages 129 in the format this year with an aggregate of 387 in six hundreds. This includes two tons and as many fifties. Three of his five Test tons have come in the second innings - an average of 52.12 as against 34.92 in the first.
Watling is far from done though and would now look to add more to his name to help New Zealand go for the win on the fourth day of the match.
More statistics from Day Three of the Test match:
* For the eighth time in the history of Test Cricket, both teams have scored exactly the same runs in the first innings - 375 each by New Zealand and England.
* Martin Guptill (70 off 72 balls) has emulated his highest score vs England in Tests. In the first Test at Lord's, he had scored exactly 70 off 115 balls in the first innings. His scores in the present series are 70, 0, 0 & 70.
* Guptill's second fifty vs England is his 14th in Tests.
* Brendon McCullum has registered his 29th fifty in Tests - his tenth vs England.
* McCullum, during the course of his 55, has completed his 6000 runs in Tests - his tally being 6008 (ave.38.76) in 94 matches.
* McCullum is the second New Zealand batsman to manage 6000 runs in Tests - the first being Stephen Fleming - 7172 at an average of 40.06 in 111 Tests.
* McCullum has also completed his 1000 runs in Tests vs England - the sixth New Zealander to complete 1000 runs vs England in Tests.
* Luke Ronchi conceded 19 byes - the second highest by a New Zealand wickeeper in a Test innings in England - the highest being 25 by Brendon McCullum at Leeds in 2004.
* During their 99-run stand off 87 balls between Guptill and Taylor for the third wicket, the run-rate was 6.82 - the second fastest 99-run stand by any pair in Tests, next only to the 6.90 for the fourth wicket between Root and Cook for England vs India at Southampton last year.
* New Zealand have scored 688 runs off 883 balls in the Test so far at 4.67 runs per over - their quickest vs England in a Test match.
(Stats by Rajesh Kumar)