Black Cap Tom Blundell scores century on debut for New Zealand against West Indies
First Colin de Grandhomme, and now Tom Blundell; the batting records have been knocked about by New Zealand on consecutive days against the West Indies at the Basin Reserve.
De Grandhomme flogged the second fastest test century by a New Zealander, 71 balls, on Saturday and now wicketkeeper Blundell has become the first gloveman to make a hundred on debut for New Zealand.
His 107 not out, raised with a slightly streaky two swung behind square leg to end a nervy 20 minutes, is the 11th instance of a New Zealand player getting to three figures in his first test.
The last occasion was Jimmy Neesham, against India, also at the Basin, in 2014.
By chance Neesham was also batting at No 8 and Blundell is the fourth to 100 from that spot in the order, the first being Bruce Taylor on his way to 105 at Kolkata in 1965, followed by Scott Styris at Grenada in 2002.
The first New Zealand batsman to a ton on debut was opener Jack Mills, again at the Basin, against England in 1930.
New Zealand declared shortly after Blundell completed his century, at 520 for nine, for an overall lead of 386.
Blundell and last man Trent Boult shared an unbroken 78-run stand, a record for New Zealand against the West Indies.
Not for the first time Boult showed how adept he is in late innings support work with his own distinctive method, getting to 18 off 60 balls in 109 minutes.
Blundell batted 229 minutes and faced 180 balls, hitting 13 fours and a six. He had to work for it, facing 41 balls while in the 90s.
There was the odd close shave too.
He had a slice of good fortune at 82 when he survived a DRS referral for lbw against seamer Jason Holder.
The ball looked to be going onto the stumps but the batsman, who was initially given not out, got the benefit of an umpires call.
On 96, a french cut off the same bowler flew past his stumps towards fine leg on 96.
But for too much of his innings, the West Indies field was spread. There was little pressure on him from the West Indies, even once in the 90s, but Holder and offspinner Roston Chase did a tidy job of making the batsmen work.
Each batsman struck one six, Boult ramping a ball from Kemar Roach over the third man fence, and Blundell celebrating his hundred by lifting spinner Brathwaite into the crowd at mid wicket.
Roach finished with the best figures for the West Indies, three for 85, but these have not been two days to enjoy for the tourists.
Blundell, 27, got in the test side as a stand-in for the injured regular test keeper BJ Watling, who was ruled out by a niggling hip injury.
It raises the interesting point about selection for the second test in Hamilton next week.
If Watling is fit again expect him to return, but Blundell has done everything right so far and now has his head above other rivals as No 2 keeper in the country.
New Zealand's centurymakers on test debut:
Jack Mills 117 v England, Basin Reserve, 1930
Bruce Taylor 105 v India, Kolkata, 1965
Rodney Redmond 107 v Pakistan, Eden Park, 1973
Mark Greatbatch 107 not out v England, Eden Park, 1988
Mathew Sinclair 214 v West Indies, Basin Reserve, 1999
Lou Vincent 104, v Australia, Perth, 2001
Scott Styris 107 v West Indies, Grenada, 2002
Kane Williamson 131 v India, Ahmedabad, 2010
Hamish Rutherford 171 v England, Dunedin, 2013
Jimmy Neesham 137 not out, v India, Basin Reserve 2014
Tom Blundell 107*, v West Indies, Basin Reserve, 2017
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