Cricket: McCullum smashes century, record, milestone

Brendon McCullum became the first New Zealander to score 1000 test runs in a calendar year. Photo / Getty

A blistering 195 by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum dominated the first day of test cricket in Christchurch in eight years today.

Having been sent in at Hagley Oval, New Zealand had a memorable day, reaching 429 for seven by stumps.

McCullum stole the show with his fourth century of the year, in the process becoming the first New Zealand batsman to complete 1000 runs in a calendar year.
He struck 11 sixes to go with 18 fours before falling five runs short of what would have been a fourth score in excess of 200 this year.

He scored 101 runs in the second session out of a total 131 runs, becoming the second New Zealander after Lou Vincent to complete that achievement and took the Sri Lankan attack apart.

McCullum shared a 126-run third wicket stand with Kane Williamson, who made 54, then added 153 with Jimmy Neesham for the fifth wicket, a New Zealand record against Sri Lanka.

He adopted a one-day approach and Sri Lanka had no answers.

His 11 sixes equalled the New Zealand test record for an innings, held by Nathan Astle and was one short of Pakistani Wasim Akram's world record 12.

McCullum is now up to 92 career sixes, eight short of Australian Adam Gilchrist's world best of 100.

Neesham made 85 off only 80 balls, an important innings as he'd lost form during the tour of the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan recently.

Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara dropped two very catchable chances and their bowling rate was desperately tardy. Five bowlers took a wicket apiece but the visitors appear to face an uphill job to stay in the test.

A packed Hagley Oval relished the first day's test cricket in the city since Sri Lanka's visit in 2006.

The 2011 earthquake, which devastated the city, meant there had been no international cricket since early 2011.

McCullum's innings gave the day a special resonance for the crowd.