The Latham, Williamson show
West Indies captain Jason Holder spoke determinedly about discipline the day before the first test against New Zealand.
He was at least present at Hamilton’s Seddon Park to witness it from the opposition as captain Kane Williamson and opener Tom Latham put the hosts on top.
A second-wicket partnership worth 154 helped New Zealand through to a commanding 243-2 at stumps on day one yesterday.
Latham, who benefited from a misjudgment from Holder and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich not to appeal a faint edge that was caught behind when on 43 – fell 14 short of a 12th test century while Williamson was on 97 and within sight of a 22nd test hundred. Old mate Ross Taylor reached 31 by stumps as New Zealand seemed poised for a formidable total.
Holder won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bowl
after steady drizzle for most of the morning meant play wasn’t able to start until 1pm.
But his bowlers failed to heed the call for discipline when it was most required.
As often happens with a pitch so green it was surprising our nation didn’t hold a referendum about it, the quicks licked their lips then let their excitement get the better of their execution.
In the opening hour, the West Indies pacemen bowled too short and too wide, ensuring the Black Caps top order was given an ideal chance to judge pace, bounce and swing while rarely entering dangerous territory.
Hence a pitch that could have camouflaged Kermit was made to look tame for most of the day.
While New Zealand’s debutant opener Will Young had a troubled start, his vastly experienced partner Latham displayed all his accumulated guile.
An excellent judge of height, the left-hander’s leave was exemplary and often employed. While the tourist bowled an improved line and length following the first drinks break, the anchors of New Zealand’s top order were settled by then.
Williamson’s love affair with Seddon Park was illustrated by a couple of trademark back-foot shots in the first session, tiptoeing himself to full height and punching the ball with speed and efficiency.
His determination not to lose concentration was also on display when telling himself off for playing at a ball he could have left with limited footwork.
He was given a searching examination outside off stump by his IPL team-mate Holder after tea and took 24 balls to move from 49 to his half-century, but was rarely rattled as he and Taylor continued their personal duel to become the most prolific batsman at Seddon Park in test history.
Latham had a couple of lives soon before his dismissal – a missed run-out chance when he forgot about the adage of never running on a misfield and an edge over the slips cordon. His good fortune ran out when Kemar Roach - whose father died this week – produced a fine delivery which nicked the inside edge before castling into the stumps.
The weather and the grassy pitch pushed the Black Caps to omit specialist spin option Mitchell Santner and play four quicks – Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner, along with medium-pacer Daryl Mitchell in an all-rounder role.