The 79-year-old batting great added: "There were no helmets and other protective gear for the batsmen and they were scared of facing fast bowlers. Now, batsmen are well protected all over their body and this is an advantage. It makes them bat freely.

"With covered wickets, batsmen are able to stay at the crease longer on good wickets." Hanif, who is battling cancer, had another reason for triple centuries being scored regularly: "The another reason being an increase in the number of Test matches. In the olden days, there were fewer Test matches.

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Now, with Test series being held more frequently, the players get a bigger opportunity to perform." McCullum went past Martin Crowe on New Zealand's chart of individual scorers. Crowe's highest was 299 at the same venue against Sri Lanka in 1991.

"Martin has regretted all these years over not being able to score a first triple century," Ms Louise Henderson, his manager said from Auckland. "Martin was interviewed on a breakfast TV show yesterday morning and he told viewers how he felt when he was dismissed for 299. He has great respect for Brendon and admiration for his endurance," she added.