Cricket: Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor tons lead Black Caps to massive score

Ross Taylor scored his second straight test ton against Zimbabwe. Photo / AFP

New Zealand declared its first innings at 582-4 in the second test against Zimbabwe on Sunday before the hosts finished the second day on 55-0.

The New Zealanders made the declaration at the tea break after Ross Taylor became the third of the tourists' century-makers in the test.

Taylor was undefeated on 124 after cracking 10 fours and having faced 173 balls.Opener Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson also got tons for New Zealand earlier at Queens Sports Club.

Taylor has now surpassed Martin Crowe's tally of 5,444 runs in 131 test innings to become New Zealand's third-highest run-scorer in test cricket.

"I don't look at the scoreboard when I'm batting, so I didn't know if (I) was there or not," Taylor said.

"But to break Crowie's record is a special thing, he was my mentor."

Match centre with scorecard, wagon wheel and Manhattan/Worm

Taylor was not the only New Zealand batsman reaching a milestone.

Williamson's 113 made him the latest batsman in test cricket - and 13th overall - to score a century against all the other nine test-playing nations.

At the declaration, BJ Watling was unbeaten on 83.

New Zealand had reached 436-4 at lunch time on the second day after it was 329-2 at stumps on day one.

The tourists' first day charge was led by Latham, whose 136 was the bedrock of the innings before he was caught and bowled by spinner Sean Williams in the last over of the day on Saturday.

Williamson finally departed in the morning session of the second day after he was caught by Craig Ervine off the bowling of seamer Michael Chinouya. The other wicket to fall was Henry Nicholls, who was trapped lbw by Zimbabwe captain and skipper Graeme Cremer.

Put in to bat in the last session of the day, Zimbabwe's openers Chamu Chibhabha (31 not out) and Tino Mawoyo (20 not out) offered the African side some hope at stumps.

New Zealand leads the two-match series 1-0, having won the first game by an innings and 117 runs at the same venue.

-AP