Rating the Black Caps
Kane’s not able to do it all and needs help
You can’t do it all yourself . . . Kane tried everything he could on this tour. Coach Mike Hesson
New Zealand’s poor form in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy made for a tough week for Black Caps captain Kane Williamson.
Out of it came one important point he’ll need to absorb, according to coach Mike Hesson: “You can’t do it all yourself.”
Personally, he had one fine innings out of three but was let down by his bowlers in two of the three ODIs, and by his fellow batsmen in the other.
The series was a bruising exercise for a man who has been captain for less than a year.
“We knew coming here we’d have to play incredibly well and we didn’t,” Hesson said.
“Kane, like everyone else, will take that to heart and also drive us to areas we know we were deficient.”
Asked what the biggest lesson for the 26-year-old batting champion would be out of the contest, Hesson took his time answering. “Kane tried everything he could on this tour. The other thing is here you’ve got to keep attacking, keep taking wickets and it’s something that does take a bit of confidence in your players.”
Joining the dots, the spinoff from that is perhaps Williamson wasn’t entirely convinced in the talents of some at his disposal to deliver in a white-hot atmosphere — or that he felt some had fallen short of expectations.
If so he wouldn’t be the only one with that view.
Williamson has won 11 of his 27 ODIs in charge. In the games New Zealand have won, Williamson averages 69.55, when beaten his number is 39.26, which rams home his importance to the cause.
Translation: there’s a pile of pressure on his shoulders to perform. It’s high time others stepped up to the plate. Friday night in Melbourne, chasing a gettable 264, was that opportunity but those around him couldn’t deliver.
The tour was a mixed bag for the skipper.
He had one big innings, a top-class 81 in a losing cause at Canberra, one fine, low catch at cover to remove David Warner in the same game, but missed out at the crease in Sydney and Melbourne and with the toss decision at Canberra.
Throw in that he was let down by his bowlers and the fielding, certainly in games one and two, wasn’t up to scratch and it added up to a sharp learning experience for Williamson.