Not even 50-Test old, Kane Williamson is already NZ’s 8th highest scorer

Kane Stuart Williamson is one of the most exciting batsmen New Zealand has produced in recent years. The 25-year-old right-handed batsman is having an exciting series against trans-Tasman rivals Australia at the moment with two back-to-back centuries in as many matches.

The twin tons at Brisbane and Perth made Williamson one of the four youngest batsmen to hit the most number of centuries at the age of 25- the other three being Sachin Tendulkar (16), Don Bradman (13) and Alastair Cook (12).

131 on debut against India

Williamson who is now 43 Tests old had hit 131 in his debut match against India at Ahmadabad in 2010, a knock that had helped his team draw the game against the hosts after initial hiccups.

In ODIs, Williamson had a forgetful start with two back-to-back ducks but yet went on to become the youngest centurion for his country after hitting a ton against Bangladesh in October 2010.

Tremendous conversion rate

He has hit 12 centuries and 16 fifties in Tests so far, which shows his remarkable ability to convert the two-digit scores into three-digits. Williamson’s best Test score is 242 not out against Sri Lanka at Wellington early this year. It is the eighth best individual score in Tests for a batsman from the island-nation.

Born in Tauranga in August 1990, Williamson made his way into the Kiwis national team after a series of strong scores for Northern Districts. His technique, footwork and persistence caught all eyes and headlines. Kane, who was known to average 400 during his high-school years, made his first-class debut in 2007. He also holds the Northern Districts’ record for slamming the highest score in a four-day match, an unbeaten 284.

Williamson played more innings that helped New Zealand avert unfavorable results in Tests and his off-break bowling adds more versatility to his team’s bowling attack. He has 28 wickets in Tests and 26 in ODIs. He hasn’t played much in the T20Is so far but in the short spell, his strike rate is over 128.

An ardent fan of Tendulkar, Kane Williamson has a knack of cementing big partnerships with fellow New Zealander Ross Taylor. In the second Test match against the Australians, the two put on a record 265 runs for the second wicket, helping their team to surpass a formidable 559 posted by the opponents in the first innings.

Gave his match fees for terror victims

Williamson, who plays for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Yorkshire in England, is also known for his philanthropic instincts. Last year, the man, when he was captaining his side against Pakistan in a series in the UAE, had dedicated the fees for all the five matches to the victims of the Peshawar terror attack that saw several school students dead.

Kane Williamson is also fond of playing guitar and tries his hands at other sports besides spending time on the beach in his off time.

Ken Williamson’s career in numbers:

Tests: 43; Runs: 3564; Avg: 48.82; 100s: 12; 50s: 16; HS: 242*

ODIs: 85; Runs: 3362; Avg: 48.02; 100s: 7; 50s: 21; HS: 145*

T20s: 25; Runs: 584; Avg: 29.20; 100s: 0; 50s: 2; HS: 57