New Zealand former test captain Kane Williamson scored his second century of the match as New Zealand dismissed South Africa for 162 before extending an already substantial lead to a mammoth 528 runs on the third day of the first test at Bay Oval on Tuesday.
The hosts will resume on 179 for four on day four after deciding not to enforce the follow-on on the inexperienced Proteas despite holding a first-innings lead of 349 runs when they bundled the tourists out before tea. Williamson's 109 from 132 deliveries on another sun-kissed day at Mount Maunganui made him only the fifth New Zealander to score a hundred in each innings of a test. Williamson came to the crease after Dane Paterson had removed opener Tom Latham lbw for three in the fifth over of New Zealand's innings.
The 33-year-old notched up his 18th Test hundred at home, a feat that places him in esteemed company alongside cricket legends such as Don Bradman and Joe Root, who also share this record.
With this century, Williamson is now joint-sixth in the list of most Test tons at home. This celebrated group is currently led by Mahela Jayawardene, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting, each having scored 23 centuries on their home turf.
Williamson also showcased his consistency as he secured his 30th and 31st Test centuries in the same match. This record propels him to joint-second place for being the second-fastest player to reach 31 Test hundreds, a position shared with Australia's Steve Smith. India's Sachin Tendulkar leads this particular chart, achieving the feat in mere 165th innings.
The New Zealand skipper's stellar performance in the first Test against South Africa further solidified his status in the cricketing history books. Williamson joined the exclusive club of New Zealand batters who have scored centuries in both innings of a Test match, a select group that includes Glenn Turner, Geoff Howarth, Andrew Jones, and Peter Fulton.
Overall, Williamson's double-century in the first Test marked the 92nd instance in cricket history where a player achieved the remarkable feat of scoring centuries in both innings of a Test match.