Milestone McCullum lifts New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH: Big-hitting Brendon McCullum was in record-breaking form as he led New Zealand to 215-4 at tea on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch Friday.
McCullum was not out 102 after cracking the fastest Test century by a New Zealander and also becoming the first New Zealander to post 1,000 runs in a calendar year.
Kane Williamson, who partnered McCullum for nearly two hours, was dismissed in the penultimate over of the middle session for 54.
Their 126-run partnership wrested the initiative back in New Zealand's favour as they recovered from 88-3 when Ross Taylor was run out in the first over after lunch.
McCullum, who admitted he desperately wanted to win the toss to bowl first on the green wicket, made a mockery of the bowler friendly conditions.
He has faced 76 deliveries and hit five sixes and 10 fours.
Williamson, who had a life on 39 when Suranga Lakmal spilled a comfortable caught and bowled chance which lobbed back waist high, faced 98 deliveries as he posted his 14th Test half century.
In the debut Test at Hagley Oval, purpose-built after the horrific earthquake that destroyed much of Christchurch and claimed 185 lives in 2011, McCullum achieved the 1,000-run milestone when he belted Angelo Mathews over the long-on boundary for the first of his sixes.
He then brought up his 100 in 74 balls to break his own record for the fastest century by a New Zealander by four deliveries.
In February, McCullum became the first New Zealander to score 300 in a Test innings in the second Test against India and has averaged nearly 67 from 16 innings in the year.
He became the 136th cricketer worldwide to register on the 1,000 run-list which is headed by Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf who notched a phenomenal 1,788 at 99.33 in 2006.
McCullum went to the crease when Taylor slipped as he tried to turn back on an aborted single attempt and was run out by a side-on throw from Kaushal Silva.
New Zealand had made a cautious start to the Test with openers Tom Latham and Hamish Rutherford benefiting from wayward bowling by Sri Lanka quicks Lakmal and Shaminda Eranga.
But after the bowlers failed to make the most of the pace-friendly conditions in their opening spells, they made amends when they changed ends.
Lakmal bowled Rutherford for 18 and Eranga had Latham caught at point by debutant Tharindu Kaushal for 27.
For Sri Lanka, Lakmal, Eranga and Dhammika Prasad have a wicket each. – AFP