Life coming up roses for Will Williams
Canterbury seam bowler Will Williams has made a permanent transfer to Lancashire in English county cricket.
Williams, 29, was offered a three1⁄2 year contract by the English county side on the back of some strong performances for the Roses in recent weeks. He qualified to play in England by means of his British heritage and said the decision to become a local wasn’t one he took lightly.
‘‘It was a big life decision to use my British heritage to take up local player status and give up my ability to play in New Zealand. However, I feel this presented an incredible opportunity to learn and grow my game.’’
Williams has been a mainstay in Canterbury’s bowling attack in recent years, initially debuting in 2012 alongside his current coach, Peter Fulton.
Williams took 116 first-class wickets for Canterbury at an average of 22.90 and was the province’s bowler of the year in the 2020/21 season, taking 31 first-class wickets at an astonishing 17.03.
Williams’ guile and skill at the crease, along with his unwavering stamina made him a force to reckon with, especially in the long format of the game.
Over recent years, Williams also broke his way into Canterbury’s white ball teams, often bowling crucial ‘death’ overs at the end of an opposition innings.
Williams took a rare domestic T20 hattrick in 2020 against the Wellington Firebirds when he dismissed Fraser Colson, Lauchie Johns and
Jamie Gibson in consecutive balls.
Fulton had mixed emotions as one of his key players moves to England. ‘‘On a personal level, I am really pleased for Will as this is great opportunity for him to secure his future as a cricketer. Lancashire is a club with great history and I am sure Will is going to be an excellent addition for them.’’
‘‘Obviously we are really disappointed to be losing Will from a Canterbury cricket perspective. He has worked incredibly hard over the last 8-9 years to become a mainstay in our side.
‘‘His skill with the ball and his durability will be hard to replace. We wish him well and thank him for the years of service he has given to the province.’’
Williams is grateful for his time in red and black. ‘‘Right from a young age it was my absolute dream to play for Canterbury, so I felt very fortunate every time I got to put the cap on.
‘‘I’d like to say a massive thanks to all the staff at Canterbury Cricket and in particular, Peter Fulton, Brendon Donkers, and Dayle Hadlee, all of whom have helped me endlessly over the last 10 years.’’
Reminiscing on fond memories, Williams said: ‘‘My favourite memories certainly include the 2 four-day and one-day titles, but mainly I’ll remember the lifelong friends I have made while playing.’’
Lancashire director of cricket Mark Chilton said Williams had been identified as a potential overseas player last year. ‘‘Due to injuries and international selection we required a seamer at short notice for last month’s county championship matches,’’ Chilton said.
‘‘Following Will’s performances in those matches, and through conversations with him since, we have taken the decision to turn his short-term overseas contract into a local player contract.’’
As Williams is no longer eligible for a 2022/23 New Zealand domestic contract, Canterbury cricket will name his replacement in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile Blake Coburn has been named in Canterbury’s second round of contracts.
The left-arm unorthodox spinner has found himself back amongst Canterbury’s contracted players after a string of impressive performances in last years’ Super Smash and finishing as top wicket taker in the Hawke Cup.
Coburn’s distinctive bowling action has been the topic of conversation amongst cricketing circles in Canterbury for some time now, with the left armer’s torso rotating downward and his head getting below 90 degrees when releasing the ball. It’s an action Coburn says suits him fine.
‘‘Yeah it’s something I’ve had since I was a kid and I’ve grown to learn to use it and improve it, but yeah, it’s a little bit different to say the least.’’
‘‘Having Ish [Sodhi] here is another bonus and being able to work with him on a full time basis when he’s here, is going to be amazing.’’