Wellington is a happy hunting ground for New Zealanders looking for big scores, and Sri Lanka seems to be a favoured opponent, with Tom Latham’s epic, undefeated 264 not out the latest addition to the record books.
It was the 26-year-old’s seventh Test ton in his 40th Test (72 innings) and bettered his 177 against Bangladesh at Wellington in January 2017, which was the last time he reached three figures in a Test.
Latham’s 264 not out was the sixth-highest Test score for New Zealand, coming off 489 balls (21×4, 1×6). Three of New Zealand’s top six Test scores have been registered at Wellington, while four have been against Sri Lankan opposition.
His innings was also the highest score by a batter carrying his bat in a Test inning, passing Alastair Cook’s 244 not out for England against Australia at Melbourne in December 2017.
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Latham’s marathon effort lasted 11-and-a-half hours and spanned 157.3 overs, and a feature of his innings was his superb cover driving. It was also the sixth Test double-century scored for New Zealand at the Basin Reserve.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Opposition | Ground | Date |
| BB McCullum | 302 | 559 | India | Wellington | 2014 |
| MD Crowe | 299 | 523 | Sri Lanka | Wellington | 1991 |
| LRPL Taylor | 290 | 374 | Australia | Perth | 2015 |
| SP Fleming | 274* | 476 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (PSS) | 2003 |
| BA Young | 267* | 422 | Sri Lanka | Dunedin | 1997 |
| TWM Latham | 264* | 489 | Sri Lanka | Wellington | 2018 |
Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
