Taylor breaks 112-year-old record

New Zealand's Ross Taylor has broken new ground by posting the highest Test score by a visiting batsman in Australia.

In moving to 290 on the fourth morning of the second Test at the WACA, Taylor passed Reginald 'Tip' Foster's long-standing mark of 287, set while batting for England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in December 1903.

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It was the 31-year-old's first century in two years, and is the highest Test score ever made by a New Zealander away from home and the third-highest overall. 

In all, Taylor batted for 567 minutes, faced 374 balls and hit 43 fours – the most ever hit in a Test innings in Australia. 

Taylor began the morning on 235 not out after batting throughout day three in a record-breaking 265-run partnership with Kane Williamson (166), who heaped praise on his partner after play. 

"I think it would be one of the best innings that I have seen," Williamson said. "The tempo that he batted and the length of time that he has been at the crease has been outstanding and moving our teams position forward.

"I know it is a tough ask but hopefully he can keep going a little bit tomorrow, building a couple of partnerships would certainly help us a lot, but certainly (it's) an absolutely fantastic innings so far.

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"I thought he was really calm out there. He just went about his work in a reasonably aggressive way and that’s when he bats at his best.

"To get that momentum in his innings from pretty much the word go ... there were certainly some tough periods but he was playing so well."

Beginning day four with the total at 6-510, Taylor found good support from his tail, particularly No.10 Tim Southee (21 from 23 balls) and No.11 Trent Boult (23no from 33 balls), with whom he shared partnerships of 43 and 37 respectively.

Those rear-guards took the score past Australia's first-innings total of 9-dec 559, and at 624 all out, gave the Black Caps a lead of 65.

Australia openers David Warner and Joe Burns were forced to face one over before the lunch break, which they negotiated safely without scoring.