Passionate Williamson wants it all
Skipper eager to keep playing all three formats as NZ prepare for England
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has made it emphatically clear: he wants to play all three forms of international cricket. After nine days away from international cricket, New Zealand face England in the first of a three-game block in six days in the T20 tri-series in Wellington tonight.
Williamson’s form in the shortest version has been modest of late to match New Zealand’s game.
While there are players who enjoy having the odd game off to give the body a spell, or lighten their load, Williamson is not among them. Given a complete day off it wouldn’t surprise to find him seeking a net, such is his passion for the game.
He responded yesterday to comments last week from former test bowler, now commentator, Simon Doull who suggested Williamson should be dropped if he is not opening and coach Mike Hesson should also lighten his load. Williamson and Doull have subsequently chatted over a couple of flat whites.
“I definitely want to play all three forms, without a doubt,” Williamson said, while acknowledging there was sense in some of Doull’s thoughts last week. “It is a balancing act moving forward because of the volume of cricket which seems to increase every year.”
Williamson’s last three T20 scores are 0 (one ball), 9 (14) and 8 (21) and his overall strike rate is 120.43. But he’s demonstrably among New Zealand’s best batsmen across the three Tuesday, February 13, 2018 forms. He can’t open with Martin Guptill and Colin Munro going in first with their howitzers but is too good a batsman to leave out.
Both teams are coming off three straight losses in T20 internationals. That’s had two impacts: Australia are already through to the tournament final at Eden Park on February 21; and neither side can afford to slip up tonight.
England’s situation is slightly more parlous. They have just two games against New Zealand left; Williamson’s men have those games plus a match against Australia, at Eden Park next Friday night.
Williamson is hampered by a slight back niggle. Taking a small liberty with the English language, Williamson called himself “100 percent-ish” for tonight. Lefthander Henry Nicholls is on standby.
Tim Seifert will become New Zealand’s third T20 wicketkeeper of the season tonight, after Glenn Phillips and Tom Blundell, and eighth overall since the form began at Eden Park on 2005. He is there to go hard, as he has done productively for Northern Districts. As Williamson said: “He packs a punch.’’
England have a question mark over their captain too. Eion Morgan missed the loss to Australia in Melbourne with a groin injury. Since denting Australia with a 4-1 ODI series win, England have lost their way in two T20 defeats.
“It’s been hugely frustrating with the lineup we have,” opener Jason Roy said. We’ve got a bee in our bonnet and want to make sure the next game is a strong performance.”