Runs flow from Kane’s able bat
KANE WILLIAMSON would rather talk about anything other than his own form.
His numbers in 2014 are staggering, his form sublime, but the organised right hander shuffles like a nervous school boy when questions about how well he’s playing are sent his way.
While he looks at home in the middle of the cricket pitch facing angry fast bowlers, he’s awkwardly out of his comfort zone facing comparatively gentle questions about what has made 2014 the year of Kane Williamson.
In eight tests he’s scored 844 runs at 60.29, scored four hundreds including a career best 192 and a fifty.
He’s clocked up a phenomenal 770 runs in 12 one-day internationals at an average of 70, reaching 50 in three-quarters of his 2014 innings.
His last 10 ODI innings read like some people’s list of highest scores; 71, 70, 65, 60, 88, 10, 70, 46, 123, 97.
The last two innings helped an understrength New Zealand come from behind to win their fivematch series with Pakistan 3-2 in the Middle East.
Even in Twenty20 cricket Williamson has featured.
Once considered a test specialist, with some worried the hit and giggle format of the game would do him damage, Williamson has proved that to be rubbish and that controlled aggression works.
He averaged 33.34, in good time, in T20 internationals this year.
But numbers – even ridiculously good numbers like Williamson’s – don’t drive him.
He wants to do well every time he goes to the crease, of course, but not for any personal reasons.
Cricket can often be seen as a selfish game, an individual sport played in a team context, but Williamson’s attitude scoffs at that. The team, he says, is everything.
‘‘For me it’s very much about the team and trying to play to the situation. It sounds a bit cliche, but I think it’s important because it drives you and when your team has the culture that ours does, you want to be a big part of it and you want to be contributing as much as you possibly can.
‘‘The numbers aren’t a big thing for me, it’s about doing my job for the team and scoring runs for the team and doing as much as I can for the team. That’s what floats my boat.’’
He said enjoying others’ success too was important to the culture and development of the team – a change in attitude which he credits coach Mike Hesson and captain Brendon McCullum for promoting within the team. And it’s a team on the improve. They haven’t lost any of their last five test series and that includes home and away wins over the West Indies and a home win against India as well as a gutsy draw in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan.
The one day side is on the up too at the right time with a home World Cup around the corner and Williamson is a big part of all of that success. But he’s not the only one. Tom Latham, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum are all scoring heavily too, while the bowling stocks are healthy and in form.
That breeds confidence which breeds more success, Williamson said.
‘‘It’s fantastic. Tommy [Latham] was superb in the UAE. Ross is our best batter, he skins it a little different to Baz, but those two have been phenomenal.
‘‘There’s various other guys playing really well too so when they’re doing that, the team moves forward and it’s really great to see that on the back of some really great performances.’’
Williamson’s team-first mentality is admirable, but to him it’s about more than just improving the current side. ‘‘We don’t play for this side forever, obviously. We’ll stop one day so it’s about contributing to improving the team as much as possible now. It’s about the New Zealand cricket team and we’re a part of it at the moment so I guess it’s our team, but it’s about moving the side forward for the future. That’s the culture of the team.’’
While he didn’t want to talk about his own, Williamson said individual success can play a big part too.
‘‘When you have a guy like Tommy in the UAE, that just sets a standard for the other guys to strive for. Then there’s Ross and Brendon doing as well as they’re doing. It just makes everyone want to play better.’’
Williamson might have left himself off the above list, but he’s a major player in terms of numbers, standards, work ethic and determination.
In 37 tests he’s already scored eight centuries. While Taylor is on track to break New Zealand batting records, Williamson is well placed to break Taylor’s numbers.
He scores runs for fun, is the future captain and seems to be making batting look easier and easier.
And he’s only 24.