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Williamson surpasses late, great Crowe

Black Caps skipper becomes the greatest Test century-maker in New Zealand history with ton No.18

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has completed a fine hundred on day two of the first Test in Auckland, burying England in the process while also becoming his country's most prolific Test century-maker.

It was hundred No.18 for Williamson, who moved clear of teammate Ross Taylor and legendary batsman Martin Crowe to claim the record as his own with his first three-figure score in a year (though New Zealand only played two Tests in that time).

Last year, Williamson also overtook Crowe as the fastest Black Caps batsman to 5,000 Test runs, achieving the feat in 110 innings – seven fewer than the Kiwis legend, who lost his battled with cancer in March 2016.

The fluent right-hander is also one of just five batsmen in Test history to have posted 18 hundreds before turning 28, joining luminaries Sachin Tendulkar (25), Alastair Cook (23), Steve Smith (20) and Graeme Smith (18).

Among his other achievements, Williamson in 2016 became the youngest man in Test history to post hundreds against all Test-playing nations.

The No.3's class was noted a couple of years ago by Australia captain Smith, who duly paid him the highest form of flattery by looking to imitate the way the New Zealander plays the ball late, particularly a stroke outside off stump in which he angles the ball past the slips cordon and down to a vacant third man.

"A few years ago I tried to bat like Kane Williamson and play the ball really late," the world's top-ranked Test batsman told cricket.com.au.

"I look at different people, the way they play and what works for them, and sometimes try to incorporate that into my game as well.

Nov 2015: Flawless Williamson scores 12th Test ton

"I just try and learn; these guys are the best players in the world for a reason."

Williamson finished that summer's five-Test period against the Aussies (away and home) with 570 runs at 63.33 with two centuries, showing in the process that Smith's decision to follow his lead was a wise one indeed.

In Auckland, the captain's knock comes off the back of a stunning bowling display from Trent Boult and Tim Southee on the first morning of the two-Test series, in which the hosts rolled England for just 58 – their sixth-lowest total ever.