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Neesham stars in Jamaica

Kiwi newbie notches two tons in first two Tests

Young New Zealander Jimmy Neesham made Test cricket look easy on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies in Jamaica, compiling his second Test hundred to leave the Black Caps in a commanding position at stumps.

The lefthander, who scored a 137 not out on debut against India in Wellington in February, compiled a patient 107 in 171 balls before Sulieman Benn caught an outside edge with just over an hour of the day's play remaining.

Neesham, who stroked 11 fours and two sixes in his 3-1/2 hour innings, put on 201 runs with BJ Watling for the sixth wicket on a flat Sabina Park pitch.

After two Tests, 23-year-old Neesham's average now stands at 138.5.

After declaring at 508-7 with less than an hour remaining, the New Zealand bowlers worked hard for minimal reward as Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell eased the West Indies through to 19-0 at stumps.

Peter Fulton put down perhaps the Black Caps' best chance in the fourth over, grassing a solid chance when Powell edged pace man Tim Southee to second slip.

Resuming at 240-2, the Black Caps added only 19 runs before Benn slipped through a slider to remove Kane Williamson's off-stump.

The New Zealander added just eight to his overnight score of 105, his sixth Test century steadying the Black Caps after the early loss of opener Fulton for one.

Ross Taylor (55) and Brendon McCullum (7) departed in quick succession to leave the Kiwis looking slightly shakier at 279-5, but Neesham and Watling upped the run rate after lunch and regained momentum in an innings which was beginning to stagnate.

Southee featured with a quickfire 21 off 16 balls after Neesham's dismissal, but when Watling holed out to deep midwicket for 89, Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum called his batsmen in.

Hundreds in consecutive matches from debut

Neesham becomes the eighth player and first New Zealander to score centuries in consecutive matches following debut.

He joins three Australians - Bill Ponsford, Doug Walters and Greg Blewitt - and is the only person on the list to claim centuries against different Test opponents.

PLAYER

MATCHES

1st

2nd

TEAM

OPPOSITION

VENUE

DATE

M Azharuddin

3

110

DNB

India

v England

Kolkata

31 Dec 1984

48

105

India

v England

Chennai

13 Jan 1985

122

54*

India

v England

Kanpur

31 Jan 1985

WH Ponsford

2

110

27

Australia

v England

Sydney

19 Dec 1924

 

 

128

4

Australia

v England

Melbourne

1 Jan 1925

KD Walters

2

155

-

Australia

v England

Brisbane

10 Dec 1965

 

 

22

115

Australia

v England

Melbourne

30 Dec 1965

AI Kallicharran

2

100*

DNB

West Indies

v New Zealand

Georgetown

6 Apr 1972

101

18

West Indies

v New Zealand

Port of Spain

20 Apr 1972

GS Blewett

2

102*

12

Australia

v England

Adelaide

26 Jan 1995

 

 

20

115

Australia

v England

Perth

3 Feb 1995

SC Ganguly

2

131

-

India

v England

Lord’s

20 Jun 1996

136

38

India

v England

Nottingham

4 Jul 1996

RG Sharma

2

177

-

India

v West Indies

Kolkata

6 Nov 2013

111*

-

India

v West Indies

Mumbai

14 Nov 2013

JDS Neesham

2

33

137*

New Zealand

v India

Wellington

14 Feb 2014

 

 

103*

-           

New Zealand

v West Indies

Kingston

8 Jun 2014