BJ Watling became the first New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman to score a double hundred in Test cricket on Sunday. Watling achieved the milestone on the fourth day of the ongoing first Test against England at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
BJ Watling becomes 1st Kiwi Keeper to slam Double Ton
The 34-year-old played a brilliant knock of 205 runs to put the home side in the driver’s seat. His 473-ball inning was studded with 24 fours and a six. Coming out to bat at 127 for 4, trailing England by 226 runs, the wicketkeeper-batsman held his end firmly and stitched vital stands with half-centurion Colin de Grandhomme (65) and a record seventh-wicket stand (261 runs — highest by a Kiwi pair) with centurion Mitchell Santner (126) to take the BlackCaps out of troubled waters.
The Black Caps’ first innings ended at 615-9 declared which is their highest total against England, soon after Watling was caught behind off Jofra Archer. The hosts now hold a 262-run lead over Joe Root’s side, who need to bat for about 115 overs to save the first match of the two-test series in Mt. Maunganui.
As a result, the right-hander struck to his resolute approach and backed his traditional style of play to slam the first double-century by a wicketkeeper-batsman from New Zealand. Overall, Watling became the tenth wicketkeeper to do so in the longer format. He joined some big names in the process of an elite club.
Earlier, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum held the record for scoring the highest runs (185) by a Black Caps wicketkeeper against Bangladesh at Hamilton in 2010.
Former India skipper MS Dhoni holds the record for the highest score by an Indian stumper i.e. 224 runs which he scored against Australia at Chennai in 2013.
Meanwhile, the record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket belongs to Andy Flower with a score of 232 not out against India at Nagpur in 2000, followed by Kumar Sangakkara who had played a knock of 230 runs against Pakistan at Lahore in 2003.
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