Records Tumble as Black Caps Pull off Remarkable Comeback

Most of the time, sides who get 400 put on them after being skittled for less than 200 fold like a deck of cards in their second innings and suffer a heavy defeat. New Zealand were headed for exactly that result at 5/94 yesterday. Their high hopes of a series victory over the number two test side in the world lay in ruins, the joys of the win in the first test far from their minds.

Two people had a different idea however. Enter skipper Brendon McCullum and keeper BJ Watling. By the end of the next day they would have broken almost any record they could have thought of.

Here’s a sample:
– Highest ever 6th wicket partnership in Test Cricket history: 352
– McCullum first Kiwi to score back to back double hundreds
– Watling longest innings by a NZ wicketkeeper
– Longest ever innings by a New Zealander (McCullum): 702 minutes (that is almost 12 hours…)

McCullum is still going. He is 281* off 525 balls. BJ Watling fell at 124 off 367 balls. Let’s also not forget to mention débutante Jimmy Neesham who then came in and slapped 67* off 96.

Remarkably, after all this, New Zealand are back in the box seat to win the series, to knock off the number two ranked side. They lead by 325. McCullum has a chance to become the first Kiwi to hit a triple century. This is one of the great efforts in the history of test cricket. The partnership spanned 123 overs. I don’t care how flat a pitch it, how bad a bowling attack may be – this just doesn’t happen. It requires an unthinkable amount of concentration and determination.

Hats off to you, Brendon McCullum, for one of the great innings.