WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand captain Kane Williamson provided a batting masterclass against Sri Lanka in Wellington on Sunday to keep up his chase of Virat Kohli to become the world’s top test batsman, just as the Indian skipper was showing his class in Perth.

Williamson scored 91 as he and Tom Latham combined for 162 runs to drive New Zealand to 311 for two at stumps on the second day of the first test against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve.

Latham was unbeaten on 121 at the close of play, having notched his seventh century after playing the anchor role for the hosts and helping them to a 29-run first innings lead with eight wickets remaining.

Ross Taylor was 50 not out, but the day’s play was dominated by Williamson, who had risen to a career-best test ranking of number two in the world – behind Kohli – after scoring 386 runs at an average of over 77 in the UAE against Pakistan.

Coincidentally both he and his Indian counterpart were batting at the same time more than 5,200 kilometres apart.

Kohli scored 123 in India’s first innings in the second test against Australia but was far more circumspect than the 28-year-old New Zealander.

Williamson, who replaced Jeet Raval after the opener was dismissed for 43 on the final ball before lunch, hit the first three deliveries he faced to the fence.

He then accumulated runs at will and combined with Latham for 116 runs in 25 overs during the middle session.

Shortly after Kohli brought up his 25th Test century at the Perth Stadium, Williamson looked well set to score his 20th at almost a run a ball.

The right-handed batsman, however, succumbed to what was the only mistake of his 93-ball innings when he swept part time offspinner Dhananjaya de Silva straight to Kasun Rajitha at backward square less than an hour into the final session.

Sri Lanka’s first innings lasted just three overs in the first session when Tim Southee grabbed his sixth wicket after a brilliant diving catch by Colin de Grandhomme at leg slip to dismiss Lahiru Kumara for a duck.

The visitors were bowled out for 282 with Niroshan Dickwella left stranded on 80, while:Southee finished with 6-68.

SRI LANKA 1st innings o/n 275 for 9
Danushka Gunathilaka lbw Tim Southee 1
Dimuth Karunaratne c BJ Watling b Neil Wagner 79
Dhananjaya de Silva c BJ Watling b Tim Southee 1
Kusal Mendis c Ajaz Patel b Tim Southee 2
Angelo Mathews c BJ Watling b Tim Southee 83
Dinesh Chandimal c Ajaz Patel b Tim Southee 6
Niroshan Dickwella Not Out 80
Dilruwan Perera c BJ Watling b Colin de Grandhomme 16
Suranga Lakmal c Henry Nicholls b Neil Wagner 3
Kasun Rajitha c BJ Watling b Trent Boult 2
Lahiru Kumara c Colin de Grandhomme b Tim Southee 0
Extras 0b 7lb 2nb 0pen 0w 9
Total (90.0 overs) 282 all out
Fall of Wickets : 1-5 Gunathilaka, 2-7 de Silva, 3-9 Mendis, 4-142 Karunaratne, 5-167 Chandimal, 6-187 Mathews, 7-223 Perera, 8-240 Lakmal, 9-275 Rajitha, 10-282 Kumara

Bowling: Trent Boult 27 – 6- 83- 1, Tim Southee 27 – 7 – 68 – 6,
Colin de Grandhomme 13 – 2 – 35 – 1 (1nb), Neil Wagner 20 — 2 – 75 – 2 (1nb), Ajaz Patel 3 – 0 – 14 – 0.

NEW ZEALAND 1st innings
Jeet Raval c Niroshan Dickwella b Lahiru Kumara 43
Tom Latham Not Out 121
Kane Williamson c Kasun Rajitha b Dhananjaya de Silva 91
Ross Taylor Not Out 50
Extras 0b 4lb 1nb 0pen 1w 6
Total (84.0 overs) 311-2
Fall of Wickets : 1-59 Raval, 2-221 Williamson
To Bat : Nicholls, Watling, de Grandhomme, Southee, Wagner, Patel, Boult
Bowling : Suranga Lakmal 18 – 2 – 60 – 0,. Kasun Rajitha 21 5 78 0 3.71 1w 1nb
Angelo Mathews 4 – 3 – 1 – 0, Dilruwan Perera 13 – 0 – 59 – 0,
Lahiru Kumara 20 – 1 – 79 – 1, Dhananjaya de Silva 8 – 0 – 30 – 1.