On the second day of the first Test match between New Zealand and Bangladesh, Captain Kane Williamson scored a magnificent century on a sluggish track at Sylhet.
With his 29th century in Test cricket, Williamson drew level with Sir Donald Bradman and Virat Kohli. Up to the end of play on day two, the captain was the only New Zealand player to score fifty or more in an innings.
After Taijul Islam removed Tom Latham in the 13th over, he entered the field and was well-supported by Daryl Mitchell when Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls went for less than 20.
Williamson reached his fifty runs off seventy-five balls, batting at a faster clip than normal due to a significant spinner turnover.
Just before the tea break, in the 49th over, Taijul put him down off Nayeen Hasan at mid-wicket, and he survived a missed catch. Nayeem gave the hitter on 70 an additional opportunity, but the Bangladeshi defender mishandled the catch, giving the New Zealand batter an extra life.
Williamson reached his hundred after Glenn Phillips relieved him of some of the burden at the other end. However, he was bowled for 104 by Taijul Islam shortly after.
Williamson's century made him the first batter from New Zealand to reach the century mark in four straight Tests.
Williamson had struck 132 against England in Wellington earlier in the year, and in back-to-back Tests in Christchurch and Wellington, he added 121* and 215 against Sri Lanka. Williamson equalled the records of Matthew Hayden, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and a few others with this hundred and his fourth straight four-ball century.
Bradman holds the record, having scored hundreds in six straight Test matches between 1937 and 1938.
With a day total of 266/8 and a 44-run deficit against Bangladesh, New Zealand faces a challenging fourth-inning chase on a wicket that is becoming more difficult to bat on.
