Jesse Ryder of New Zealand cover drives for four. Photo / Getty Images
The Black Cap batsmen will go into next week's cricket test with Australia brimming with confidence after an impressive final day in the tour match with Australia A in Brisbane.
The four-day match was drawn but time in the middle was the order of the day, as neither side interested in chasing a result. Captain Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder scored centuries, with the latter taking particular glee in dispatching the ball out of Allan Border Oval, equalling a first class record with 16 sixes.
New Zealand ended the day on 467-6 with an overall lead of 495 but, more importantly, the tourists' top six all appear in good knick as the Black Caps chase their first test win over the old foe since 1993.
Along with Taylor and Ryder, Brendon McCullum scored a quick-fire 146 in the first innings, while opening partner Martin Guptill returned scores of 43 and 47. Kane Williamson was dismissed cheaply twice but came into the game on the back of an unbeaten 284 for Northern Districts, and No 6 Dean Brownlie, who finished the day on 53 not out, was also a centurion in the last round of domestic cricket.
That all bodes well for the Black Caps' chances at the Gabba in Brisbane, considering the injury-hit Australian side will be fielding three bowlers - Ben Cutting, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson - from the A team, although none bowled a significant number of overs today.
With Australia A content to rest the quicks ahead of next week, Ryder dined out on the part-timers and slow bowlers who instead took to the crease. He required only 137 balls to rack up his 175, and spectators in the carpark had a better chance of catching the 27-year-old than the Australian fielders.
The sixteen sixes equalled a world record, held jointly by Australia's Andrew Symonds and England's Graham Napier, and Ryder added 11 fours to that, meaning a whopping 74 per cent of his runs were scored from boundaries.
Ryder shared a 160-run partnership with Taylor (138) and a 108-ball, 122-run stand with Dean Brownlie, to which Brownlie contributed only 19 runs.
The figures must be taken with a grain of salt, considering they came at the expense of a bowling attack that included Australia A opener Ed Cowan, young batsman Nic Maddinson and big-hitting David Warner. Cowan was the chief victim, conceding 28 runs to Ryder in one over, while off-spinner Michael Beer (1-117 off 23 overs) and Steve Smith (0-95 off 16) will also be having nightmares starring the left-hander.
Maddinson eventually brought an end to the madness, inducing Ryder into poking an innocuous delivery to Cowan at square leg.
The first test against Australia begins Thursday.
New Zealand
First innings 423
Australia A
First innings 395
New Zealand
Second innings (overnight 75-2)
M Guptill c Wade b Hilfenhaus 47
B McCullum c Maddinson b Starc 5
K Williamson c Wade b Cutting 14
R Taylor c Starc b Beer 138
J Ryder c Cowan b Maddinson 175
D Brownlie not out 53
R Young lbw Cutting 9
D Bracewell not out 13
Extras (4lb, 3nb, 6b) 13
Total (for 6 wkts, 108.0 overs) 467
Fall: 18 (McCullum), 48 (Williamson), 126 (Guptill), 286 (Taylor), 408 (Ryder), 443 (Young).
Bowling: J Pattinson 12-7-31-0, M Starc 14-2-45-1, B Hilfenhaus 14-6-22-1, B Cutting 14-1-61-2 (3nb), S Smith 16-3-95-0, M Beer 27-3-130-1, D Warner 4-0-27-0, E Cowan 2-0-30-0, N Maddinson 5-0-16-1.
Result: Match drawn.