Williamson hot on No 1 Kohli’s heels
WELLINGTON: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is closing in on reclaiming top spot in the International Cricket Council’s test batsman rankings.
The Black Caps skipper has moved up one spot to second in the latest list released yesterday, leapfrogging banned Australian counterpart Steve Smith to be the nearest rival to rankings leader and Indian captain Virat Kohli.
Williamson scored 89 and 139 to lead his team to victory in the third and deciding test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi last week, New Zealand’s first away test series win against Pakistan in 49 years.
Teammate Henry Nicholls made 126 not out and shared in a crucial 212run partnership with his captain in the second innings of that match, helping the 27yearold rise to a ranking of ninth and a spot in the top 10 for the first time.
Williamson’s contribution helped him rise to a careerhigh 913 ranking points and close within seven points of Kohli, who managed only three and 34 in India’s win against Australia in the first test in Adelaide this week.
The former alltime leading wickettaker in tests, Sir Richard Hadlee, is the only other New Zealand player to surpass 900 points in the rankings.
A strong performance in the first test against Sri Lanka starting in Wellington on Saturday, and another belowpar effort from Kohli in the second test against Australia, could result in Williamson taking back the top ranking he claimed at the end of 2015.
Williamson has faced Sri Lanka in six tests — 12 innings — and has an average of 91.88, easily his best average against any nation. Of those 12 innings, seven times he has passed 50, including three centuries.
On top of that, he averages 63.07 at the Basin Reserve, where he has scored three test centuries.
His highest test score of 242 not out came in the second test victory against Sri Lanka in 2015, part of a 365run worldrecord partnership for the sixth wicket with BJ Watling.
Behind Williamson and Nicholls, Ross Taylor is the nextbest New Zealand batsman at 16th.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling’s typically gritty displays in the series against Pakistan have allowed him to jump four places to 22nd, and opening pair Jeet Raval and Tom Latham are at 36th and 37th respectively.
Leftarm seamer Trent Boult remains New Zealand’s highestranked test bowler at ninth, with seam partners Neil Wagner 13th and Tim Southee 15th.
Spin duo Ajaz Patel (66th) and Will Somerville (63rd), who were standout performers in the series against Pakistan, make their rankings debuts on the latest list.
South African quick Kagiso Rabada retains top spot, ahead of England’s James Anderson and fellow Proteas seamer Vernon Philander. — AAP/NZME