Tom Latham and the Black Caps have picked up where they left off in the morning session of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval, reaching 327/3 at lunch, with a lead of 401 runs.
Having been not out overnight, the pair of Latham and Ross Taylor quickly got to work in building the Black Caps' lead, already over 300 following a dominant day yesterday.
A straight drive down the ground from Taylor off Lakmal raised the 50 partnership between the overnight pair, coming off just 61 balls. However, Latham was in trouble later that over though, padding up to Lakmal, and narrowly surviving a close LBW shout.
Taylor wasn't as fortunate though, trapped in front LBW for 40 by Lahiru Kumara for Sri Lanka's only wicket of the session.
Undeterred though, Latham batted on as the Blacks Caps' lead passed 350, joined at the crease by fellow Cantabrian left-hander Henry Nicholls, as the pair added 50 runs for the fourth wicket.
Latham would celebrate his eighth Test century not long after, cutting Lakmal to the boundary to reach three figures on his home ground, his second hundred in as many games coming from 267 balls with nine boundaries.
The Black Caps opener continued his rich vain of form from last week's opening Test at the Basin Reserve, in which he finished with an unbeaten 264 in a rain affected draw.
The pair continued their charge into lunch, with Latham unbeaten on 118, Nicholls steady at the other end with 35, the pair having added 80 runs in just under 24 overs.
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