Cricket: Century for McCullum

Brendon McCullum scored his maiden test century yesterday as he steered New Zealand to 289 for six at lunch on the third day.

In typical bustling fashion, wicketkeeper McCullum scored quickly against Bangladesh as he reached the milestone in his seventh test after facing 158 balls in 222 minutes at the crease.

His knock included 10 boundaries as he struck the ball all over Bangabandhu National Stadium.

The century helped to extend the tourists' first-innings lead to 112 and also sparked some life into a drab match in which slow scoring was testing the patience of the few spectators at the ground.

McCullum, 23, was 102 not out at lunch, with Daniel Vettori on 22.

Once he entered the nervous 90s, McCullum wasted little time, striking successive boundaries. A four, from spinner Mohammad Rafique, in the final over before lunch lifted him to three figures.

McCullum became the third New Zealander to score a century against Bangladesh in three tests between the countries to date, following Mark Richardson and Craig McMillan, who scored 143 and 106 respectively in Hamilton in 2001.

Besides peppering the boundary, McCullum kept the home side's fieldsmen on their toes by stealing numerous quick singles.

He looked determined to score off every shot, but offered few chances to a spin attack that has claimed all six Black Caps wickets.

McCullum, who was 48 not out overnight, did not have to wait long for his half-century, which came in the third over of the day.

Resuming with his side on 207 for five, he again looked comfortable and scored freely off Rafique, who had claimed three wickets on a slow and turning pitch.

McCullum's first 20 runs came in just 30 minutes as he increased the tempo in a test where just 384 runs were scored in the opening two days.

His first boundary came from a lofted shot straight over Rafique, who opened the attack with pace bowler Tapash Baisya.

Rafique's liking for New Zealand batsmen was again evident when he drew an edge from Jacob Oram's defensive shot, which carried to first slip.

Oram's patient innings of 23 from 121 balls was undone in the 84th over of the innings with New Zealand on 223 for six.

- NZPA