Australian openers got off to a storming start in the second innings.
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Burns motored towards his first hundred and brought it up in fantastic style by smashing a flighted delivery from Craig over long-off for six – his second in three balls in the 30th over.
In 43 Test matches, Warner has scored 3649 runs at an impressive average of 46.78 of an opener, with the help of 14 centuries and 19 fifties.
“The plan was to hit six singles (on 94) but I just kind of blacked out a bit and swung as hard as I could and luckily got it over the rope”, Burns said of his mighty milestone blow.
Warner sprinted to his second century of the match with 116 before he gave his wicket away with a switch hit off spinner Mark Craig.
“That all takes care of itself when you’re out there, but for us it’s about the team situation, and personally for me, number one, two and three is to have the opportunity to go back to back”.
Warner joins run machines Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar in posting back-to-back hundreds on three occasions in Tests, and his 14th hundred in 44 matches puts him level with batting greats Michael Slater (74 Tests) and Ian Chappell (75) on the all-time Australian century-makers list. “When you’re on top in the first innings you get to go out like today and play the way you want to play, with all the confidence in the world. That’s something special, as a pair as well, a century-run partnership in both innings”.
Southee, nursing an injury, was soon bowled by Starc for 14. The visiting side resumed the day on 157 for 5, and Williamson stitched small partnerships with the lower order to keep New Zealand’s hopes alive.
Like Warner shortly before, he left to a standing ovation and was congratulated by many an opposition player as he walked back to the dressing room.
It was Williamson’s 11th Test century and one of his best after centuries againstSri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, England, India, Bangladesh and South Africa in his five years of playing Test cricket.
“With me it’s about making sure that I’m adaptable to each of the conditions”, Smith said.
“It always has a lot more satisfaction behind it when you’re in a strong position in terms of the game but that’s not there at the moment”.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke believes that the three-match Trans-Tasman series between Australia and New Zealand will be fiercely competitive. “When you’re doing well it’s easy to sit here and say that we’re operating really well, but there’s certainly going to be challenges coming every week”.
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Williamson’s excellent knock – and New Zealand’s innings – ended when he became Starc’s fourth victim, inside-edging to Nevill as he attempted a drive through mid-off.
