Christchurch, New Zealand: Brendon McCullum, at his brutal best, belted the fastest Test century the world has seen as he thrashed the Australian attack on the first day of the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday.

The 34-year-old took just 54 balls to reach his hundred in a landmark innings to celebrate his final Test before bowing out of international cricket.

New Zealand were all out for 370.

New Zealand were 32-3 when McCullum went to the middle and by tea they were 273-6 with McCullum out for 145.

As the captain led his side out of trouble, his entertaining innings overshadowed the valuable support from Corey Anderson who made 72 off 66. BJ Watling added 58 runs.

It was a masterclass of aggression from McCullum after Australia won the toss and made New Zealand bat on a green wicket.

Although the call paid dividends for Australia in the early overs, McCullum blasted New Zealand back into the game.

He reached his 100 two balls faster than the previous record shared by Viv Richards and Misbah-ul-Haq.

With the first of the six sixes he hit he overtook Australian Adam Gilchrist's record for the most Test sixes and finished with a new mark of 106.

He also hit 21 fours in notching his 12th Test century.

McCullum received a standing ovation when he went to the middle and they stood and applauded again as he left after the trademark swashbuckling performance. 

On 45 he was brilliantly caught in the gully by Mitchell Marsh only for replays to show the James Pattinson delivery was a no ball.

McCullum added another 100 runs before Pattinson finally claimed the wicket when the ball was snared by a diving Nathan Lyon at long leg.

Anderson, who featured in a match-changing 179-run stand with McCullum, had been a willing partner in attacking the boundary with eight fours and four sixes in his innings.

Martin Guptill had tried the same aggressive approach at the head of the innings, reaching 18 before Pattinson caught the outside edge with a ball that nipped back and Joe Burns held the catch at short leg.

The other top order batsmen tried to graft it out with Kane Williamson facing 69 deliveries for his seven while Tom Latham faced 40 balls for four.

For Australia, Nathan Lyon took three for 61. Pattinson, in his comeback Test, had two for 72.