PIX: Williamson, Nicholls hit double tons as New Zealand dominate

IMAGE: It was the first time two New Zealand batsmen had scored double centuries in one innings. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls both scored double centuries and shared a partnership of 363 as New Zealand flayed Sri Lanka's bowling to rack up an imposing 580/4 declared on the second day of the second Test in Wellington on Saturday.

The tourists had responded with 26/2 by the close of play at Wellington's Basin Reserve and face an uphill battle to avoid being swept in the two-match series after losing the first Test by two wickets in Christchurch on Monday.

Williamson also scored a century, his 27th in Tests, in the second innings of that match, but Saturday's magnificent effort in the company of Nicholls was an entirely different order of dominance.

IMAGE: Kane Williamson became the first New Zealand batsman to score 8,000 Test runs as he marched to his sixth double century. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

After a rain-disrupted day one, Williamson resumed on 26 not out with the hosts on 155/2 and barely put a foot wrong until he holed out in the deep in the late afternoon with 215 runs to his name.

The 32-year-old became the first New Zealand batsman to score 8,000 Test runs as he marched to his sixth double century, pounding 23 fours and a couple of sixes in the 296-ball innings.

Nicholls pillaged runs at a slightly lower rate at the other end as he worked his way out of a recent form slump with his highest Test score of 200 not out. It was the first time two New Zealand batsmen had scored double centuries in one innings.

IMAGE: Henry Nicholls worked his way out of a recent form slump with his highest Test score of 200 not out. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Sri Lanka are not the first team to regret winning the toss and choosing to bowl on an apparent greentop only to watch the Black Caps batting for a couple of days.

Daryl Mitchell scored a quickfire 17 and Tom Blundell 17 not out after Williamson's departure as New Zealand swung the bat to inflate their tally before the declaration.

Seamer Lahiru Kumara (0/164) of the visiting bowlers suffered the most but Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha were both also well into three figures in the debit column.

IMAGE: Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls are applauded off the field by team-mates at the end of play on Day 2. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Matt Henry wasted little time in showing them how to bowl on the track, tempting opener Oshada Fernando into a push at the ball which Blundell gobbled up behind the wickets.

Doug Bracewell then celebrated his return to test cricket after a gap of nearly seven years with the wicket of Kusal Mendis, who departed for a duck after Doug Conway took a brilliant catch at point.

Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, who was 16 not out, and nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya, unbeaten on four, will resume on Sunday with Sri Lanka a hefty 554 runs in arrears.