Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) (AFP) – Ross Taylor and BJ Watling put Zimbabwe’s bowlers to the sword once again as New Zealand continued to pile on the runs in the second Test at Queens Sports Club on Sunday.
Having put on 253 together during the first Test, the pair added an unbroken stand of 193 on the second day of the second Test as New Zealand reached tea on 582 for four before declaring.
Taylor backed up his unbeaten 173 last week with 124 not out on Sunday, becoming the second batsman after Tom Latham to record back-to-back centuries in the series.
Watling looked set to add his name to that list as he moved to 83 not out at the interval before the declaration came.
Zimbabwe endured a tough first day in the field as New Zealand put on 329 for two, and their fortunes on the second day were little better.
Although they dismissed both Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls in the opening session, Williamson had already reached three figures to become the first New Zealand batsman to score centuries against all of the other nine Test nations.
A day shy of his 26th birthday, he was also the youngest of the 13 Test batsmen to achieve the feat, and did it in fewer Tests than anyone else.
The New Zealand captain did, however, depart in soft fashion when he guided a wide delivery from Mike Chinouya straight to gully to fall for 113.
Nicholls scored just 15 before he misjudged the length of a Graeme Cremer delivery and was trapped lbw whilst trying to sweep.
While that gave Zimbabwe some respite, it also brought Taylor and Watling together and the pair picked up where they had left off in the first Test, with Taylor particularly attacking in his 173-ball innings.
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