Plenty of records for Williamson to crow about
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson 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 cricket test against South Africa in Hamilton.
Williamson was all class in an unbeaten 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 317-4 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.
The Black Caps enjoyed one of their better days as they added 254 runs for the loss of four wickets in 78.3 overs.
Williamson was once again all class in an authoritative display, after his double failure in the second test. Positive from the outset, it was another follow-me performance from the man upon which so much reliance is always placed. It was his third ton against South Africa, and his second in Hamilton.
Alongside him opener Jeet Raval proved the perfect foil, making his highest test score, with a resolute 88 off 254 balls (10 fours).
In an up-tempo fashion, Williamson 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 – a lovely lofted drive off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, along with a crunch over square leg off Vernon Philander to pass 60 and bring up the 5000, and a cracking pull shot off Morne Morkel.
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.
Williamson then went on to bring up his ton off 151 balls, hitting a full toss from Dean Elgar to the mid-on boundary for four, then producing his customary understated celebration of the helmet and bat raise, in front of a small smattering of spectators.
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 – New Zealand’s 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.
Under-fire Tom Latham came good in striking 50 (103 balls, 10 fours), to make it just the eighth time in history the Black Caps’ top three have all passed 50 in a test innings – the last time being last August, against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
New Zealand resumed at 67-0 and after a 90-minute first session went to lunch at 132-1, with Latham making his 13th test half century, before being the first of two victims via superb outstretched one-handed takes by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off the bowling of Morkel.
Raval and Williamson teamed up under sunny skies, which darkened later, 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.
Resuming on 25, Raval was his usual stoic self, showing fine judgement outside off-stump, a resolute defence, and working ones and twos. It was his fourth test half century, and third in four innings in this series, before his vigil was ended by another de Kock stunner – this time with his sore hand.
South Africa’s quicks who were devastating in Wellington kept charging in, but there wasn’t enough to trouble the well-applied Kiwi batsmen, while Maharaj showed there was turn on offer, which will interest New Zealand’s dual-spin attack.
However, late in the piece Kagiso Rabada nabbed Neil Broom, lbw shouldering arms for 12, and Henry Nicholls, strangled down leg-side for a golden duck, to take a bit of gloss off New Zealand’s day, before Mitchell Santner (13no) survived a scare when his off-stump was knocked out of the ground by Philander, only for the delivery to have been a no-ball.