New Zealand opening batsman Tom Latham played a brilliant knock of unbeaten 264 runs against the visitors Sri Lanka in the ongoing Test match at Basin Reserve (Wellington). His record-breaking knock has led the hosts New Zealand to the dominant position at the end of day three.

In the reply of Sri Lanka’s first innings total 282, the Kiwi opener Latham played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 264 runs off 489 balls with 21 fours and only six. Playing his 72nd Test innings, Latham hit his seventh Test century and stretched to his maiden double-century in his Test career. It is also his highest knock the in first-class career as his previous best was 261.

Here are some important stats of Latham’s brilliant unbeaten 264-run knock

• Highest knock by an opener while carrying his bat in a completed Test innings. The previous record was 244* by Alastair Cook (England) against Australia at Melbourne in December 2017.
• The second highest knock by a New Zealand Test Opening batsman. The record is unbeaten 267 by Bryan Young against Sri Lanka at Dunedin in March 1997.
• The sixth highest knock by a New Zealand batsman in a Test innings.

Apart from that knock, the skipper Kane Williamson scored 91 runs while Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls both scored 50 runs before losing their wickets. Also another opener Jeet Raval scored 43 runs and Colin de Grandhomme played a 49-run knock. With the help of these innings, New Zealand managed to score 578 runs before getting all out.

The 21-year-old right-arm pacer Lahiru Kumara was the best bowler in that innings as he had a bowling figure of 31.3-2-127-4.

Starting their innings by trailing 296 runs, Sri Lanka ended the day three on 20/3 after losing their first three batsmen. New Zealand right-arm pacer Tim Southee, who bagged six wickets in the first innings of this Test, ended the day with the second innings bowling figure of 5-3-7-2. The left-arm pacer Trent Boult (1/12) picked up the other wicket in this innings.