The year of Brendon McCullum will end on a high as the New Zealand captain scored a thrilling, boundary-laden 195 on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch on Boxing Day.
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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.
Astle slammed a double century against England, also in Christchurch, in 2002 off just 153 balls, but McCullum was on track to cruise past it.
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.
He's 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.
His first 50 runs on Thursday took 45 balls, his second and third just 29-each.
It wasn't just the Brendon McCullum show; he put on 126 for the fourth wicket with Kane Williamson and a record against Sri Lanka 153 for the fifth with Jimmy Neesham.
stuff.co.nz
