The Black Caps’ opener scored his first ever Test hundred against England in Auckland.
New Zealand opener Peter Fulton came out to bat in his 14th Test match as England won the toss and decided to field.
Up until that point the 34-year-old had never made a century for his country in the five-day format but on a flat pitch the batsman took the game to the visitors.
Fulton batted through the whole day finishing at close of play on 124 not-out and helping his side to a dominating 250-1.
“I’ve played a few Test matches now and haven’t been able to get a century,” the towering batsman was quoted on Sky Sports at stumps on the first day.
“I guess if I’m brutally honest I thought at the start of the season that my time had come and gone.
“So to get that Test 100 and cross that off the list is a great feeling.”
Although the England bowlers struggled on a flat drop-in pitch at Eden Park, Fulton still had to make the most of the batting advantage.
The Kiwi rode his luck at the start of his innings nearly edging a ball to third slip off James Anderson’s bowling, before slicing a Stuart Broad ball that would normally have gone to fine-leg – but went for six because of the short boundaries.
Fulton kept his nerve though, even whilst on 99 for an agonising nine balls and finally made it to the hundred landmark.
The opener has only returned to the New Zealand Test set-up for this series after a four year absence, yet if he can carry his good form into day two of the third Test he may hold his place for a little longer in the future.
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