Williamson and Ross Taylor, determined not to run out of time, batted at more than 6.0 an over in their 163-run third wicket partnership with New Zealand chasing down a 217-run target.

The New Zealand skipper finished unbeaten on 104 with Taylor out for 60 and Henry Nicholls not out four.

Bangladesh were in command for nearly four days, until their second innings lasted less than 58 overs to end at 160-9 and captain Mushfiqur Rahim in hospital after being felled by a Tim Southee bouncer.

It was a disappointing sequel to their imposing first innings of 595-8 declared, presenting them with the unwanted record of the highest ever score in the first innings to lose a Test.

The previous mark was set more than 120 years ago, when Australia scored 586 against England at the Sydney cricket ground in 1894.

New Zealand made a shaky start to their run chase with first innings centurion Tom Latham out for 16 and fellow opener Jeet Raval for 13, both removed by off-spinner Mehedi Hasan in the space of eight balls.

But Williamson and Taylor were unruffled on a warm Wellington afternoon that was a far cry from the blustery first day when Bangladesh batted positively on a green wicket.

Williamson brought up his century — levelling the scores with a sweep off Mehedi to the boundary — before ending the game with a single off the next ball.

Bangladesh resumed the final day at 66-3 and were in early trouble when Shakib Al Hasan, whose 217 in the first innings is a record high score for a Bangladesh batsman, lasted only five balls before going for a duck.

Mominul Haque, who has two centuries to his name in five previous innings against New Zealand, was removed this time for 23.

At 96-5, Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur added 18 runs in 16 overs in the face of a torrid attack from the New Zealand pace trio of Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.

Mushfiqur, who had been unable to field for Bangladesh during New Zealand’s first innings 539, was forced to duck repeatedly under a barrage of bouncers until a ball hit the back of his helmet.

He lay prone on the wicket, attended by medical staff from both teams until an ambulance drove on to the field and took him to hospital. He was later given the all-clear.

Opener Imrul Kayes, who was stretchered off and taken to hospital late on the fourth day with a hip injury, hobbled to the crease at the fall of the seventh wicket.

Unable to run, he relied on boundaries to be 36 not out when the innings ended.

Boult finished with three for 53 while Wagner and spinner Mitchell Santner took two wickets each.

The second Test starts in Christchurch Friday.

The Proteas can nudge up one place to sixth in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings if they win, while the Black Caps will remain fifth irrespective of the result.

But the reputation of Test cricket is at much at stake as rankings points after a farcical first Test in Durban where less than 100 overs of cricket were played before a wet, soft outfield prevented any play on the last three days. There was even less cricket in a Test match between the West Indies and India in Port of Spain, also because of outfield conditions.

It is the first time Test cricket has been played in South Africa in August, almost two months before the usual start of the season.

Preparing grounds for winter conditions has been a challenge – which Durban failed to meet after re-seeding the outfield only two months before the match. Following reports from the match referees, the outfields in Durban and Port of Spain were condemned as “poor” by the ICC.

Centurion groundsman Rudolph du Preez had the advantage of planting winter grass much earlier than Durban, with work starting in April, almost immediately after the 2015-16 season.

He said it was necessary to plant winter grass because fielders struggled on dry, dormant summer grass when the same two countries met in a one-day international in August last year.

With virtually no rain falling on the South African Highveld during winter – and no rain predicted during the Test – Du Preez is confident that conditions will be suitable for Test cricket. He said more time had been necessary to prepare the pitch because cool conditions meant it took longer to dry out after watering.

Du Preez said he did not expect uneven bounce to be as much of a factor as it has been in the later stages of matches in recent seasons.

“It might not deteriorate as we are used to. It might be a little bit slower, it might be holding back a bit more,” he said. Centurion has been a fortress for South Africa in Test cricket, with the home side having won 16 of the 21 Tests at the ground. Their only two losses were against England in a contrived result in 1999-2000, engineered by the late Hansie Cronje before he was banned from cricket because of his association with bookmakers, and against Australia in 2013-14.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Stephen Cook, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Dane Piedt

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wkt), Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

Taking the first lease of the wicket New Zealanders scored 270 for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs with Mitchell Santner scoring a century. Neil Wagner remained unbeaten on 45. Nisal Gamage bagged four wickets for the visitors.

In reply, Sri Lanka achieved their target in 45.3 overs scoring 271 for the loss of three wickets. Dhanushka Gunatilleke cracked his century in 120 deliveries which was studded with 11 hits to the ropes and four over it.

Sri Lankan innings were further boosted by Dhananjaya Silva (86) and Kithruwan Vithanage(54). Dhananjaya’s knock included 10 boundaries and two sixes while Vithanage’s half ton consisted of eight fours and two sixes.

New Zealand Winter Training Squad : 270/9 in 50 overs (Mitchell Santner 110, Neil Wagner 45 n.o, Nisal Gamage 4/59, Lahiru Madushanka 2/42, Dhananjaya de Silva 2/22)

Sri Lanka ‘A’ : 271/3 in 45.3 overs (Dhanushka Gunatilleke 106, Dhananjaya de Silva 86, Kithruwan Vithanage 54) TJ.