Record-breaking day for Kane
‘‘Like a bit of a clown batting with the master at the other end.’’ Jeet Raval may have notched a test-best 88, but that’s how he described being out there on what was Kane Williamson’s special day.
The Black Caps captain notched the most significant milestone of his flourishing cricket career, as he powered his side into a strong position at stumps on day three of the third and final test against South Africa in Hamilton.
Williamson was all class in a splendid unbeaten innings of 148 at Seddon Park, which equalled the late Martin Crowe’s record of 17 test centuries for New Zealand, as the Black Caps finished the day 321-4 in reply to the Proteas’ first innings of 314.
Along the way, Williamson also brought up 5000 test runs - the sixth New Zealander to reach that mark, and the quickest Kiwi to achieve the feat - as he kept his team’s hopes alive of squaring the series at 1-1.
On a day where the forecast was bleak, and there was a 90-minute delay in proceedings due to a wet outfield, it in the end it turned out to be one of the Black Caps’ best in recent memory, as they added 254 runs for the loss of four wickets in 78.3 overs, in what is a real backsto-the-wall effort post the Wellington woes, in a test without three of their star men.
Williamson was once again all class in an authoritative display. Positive from the outset, it was another follow-me performance from the man upon which so much reliance is always placed. In an uptempo fashion, he produced a sumptuous selection of his crisp, well-worked shots off the legs, and back foot punches through cover, hitting 14 fours, as well as three sixes.
The man with a huge hunger for runs, who has long been touted as the country’s finest prospect, is quickly continuing to meet, even exceed, those lofty expectations.
He notched the 5000 in his 110th innings, with Crowe the next quickest Kiwi, with 117. Worldwide, Williamson is 27th equalfastest to the mark, alongside Australian Ricky Ponting. The great Don Bradman tops the list, with a ridiculous 56 innings, with England’s Jack Hobbs next quickest, with 91.
It only seemed inevitable, then, that Williamson went on to bring up his ton, coming off 151 balls, which saw him produce his customary understated celebration, in front of a small smattering of spectators.
Alongside him, opener Raval proved the perfect foil, battling away for 254 balls (10 fours), with the pair combining for a superb stand of 190 - New Zealand’s highest second wicket partnership against South Africa, surpassing their 102 they managed in the series opener in Dunedin.
Raval was his usual stoic self, showing fine judgement outside off-stump, a resolute defence, and working ones and twos. It was his fifth test half century, and third in four innings in this series, and all the while he was admiring his skipper’s work.
‘‘Just to watch him bat at the other end was unbelievable,’’ Raval said.
‘‘The way he goes about his business is awesome, and he’s never satisfied with 100, 150, he wants to get big runs and help the team.
‘‘He sort of calms you down, he could sense a couple of times when I was getting ahead of myself, so he came down and said ‘Mate, just keep doing what you’ve been doing till now, it will come’.’’
With the skipper not used to being made to sit and watch for some time before entering the crease, he arrived with 83 already on the board - after Tom Latham (50) helped New Zealand to their highest opening stand in 12 innings - and was able to relax the shoulders a wee bit more, on a pitch which was constantly drying out, and against a Proteas attack which was able to be countered far better than previously.
South Africa’s quicks kept charging in, but there wasn’t enough to trouble the well-applied Kiwi batsmen, while left-arm spinner Maharaj showed there was turn on offer, which will interest New Zealand’s dual-spin attack.
Morne Morkel, who claimed his 250th test wicket on the day, was left to bow to Williamson’s efforts on what he labelled ‘‘a very hard day out in the field’’.
‘‘He’s a very hard man to bowl to,’’ Morkel said. ‘‘He’s a very patient cricketer. So I think it was a fantastic hundred from a top quality player. And it’s important for us to knock him over tomorrow morning, early.’’
After Kagiso Rabada nabbed Neil Broom (12), and Henry Nicholls (golden duck), South Africa were able to lift their spirits late in the piece, but Morkel was forthright in summing up where things are at, with Mitchell Santner (13no) to resume with Williamson in the morning.
‘‘There’s only one team under pressure now, and that’s us.’’