New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum played one of the most destructive Test knocks on the first day of the first Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. McCullum hit 18 fours and 11 sixes in his 134-ball blitz before holing out to long off, going for what would have easily been test cricket’s fastest double century.
By the virue of this blistering innings, Brendon McCullum has put his name in the list of most sixes by a batsman in a single innings of a Test match.
| Player | Runs | BF | 4s | 6s | Opp | Ground | Match Date |
| Wasim Akram (Pak) | 257* | 363 | 22 | 12 | Zim | Sheikhpura | 17 Oct 1996 |
| Nathan Astle (NZ) | 222 | 168 | 28 | 11 | Eng | Christchurch | 13 Mar 2002 |
| Matthew Hayden (Aus) | 380 | 437 | 38 | 11 | Zim | Perth | 9 Oct 2003 |
| Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 202 | 188 | 21 | 11 | Pak | Sharjah | 26 Nov 2014 |
| Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 195 | 134 | 18 | 11 | SL | Christchurch | 26 Dec 2014 |
| Wally Hammond (Eng) | 336* | – | 34 | 10 | NZ | Auckland | 31 mar 1933 |
| Chris Cairns (NZ) | 120 | 96 | 10 | 9 | Zim | Auckland | 20 Jan 1996 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) | 329 | 436 | 38 | 9 | NZ | Lahore | 1 May 2002 |
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 77* | 40 | 4 | 9 | Eng | Napier | 22 Mar 2008 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 333 | 437 | 34 | 9 | SL | Galle | 15 Nov 2010 |
Brendon McCullum is going through a purple patch in his career and he has scored over 1,000 runs in the calender year 2014. McCullum became the first New Zealander to pass 1000 runs in a calendar year when he hit his first six, but ended the innings with 1164 runs in the year with the chance of another bat.
Brendon McCullum has already passed 200 runs three times in 2014, scoring 224 and 302 against India at the start of the year and 202 against Pakistan in his last test, last month.
McCullum was at his aggressive best on day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. MCullum showed no respect towards the Lankan bowlers. He batted aggressively right from the first over of his innings and kept smashing the bowlers all around the park throughout his innings.
After McCullum’s breathtaking knock on day 1, former New Zealand cricketer Craig McMillan said that Brendon MCullum is the most destructive kiwi batsman.
“The man is an x-factor player,” McMillan said of McCullum. “He has the ability to dominate and dismantle bowlers and change the tempo and the way an innings is heading very quickly. I think he’s the most destructive and domineering player to play for New Zealkand, certainly that I’ve seen,” McMillan added.
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By The Cricket Lounge
