The high-flying Kiwi of Desert – Kane Williamson

When New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson walked out to bat on day three of the final Test in the UAE, his team was in a mortal danger. They were effectively – 73/1 with the opener back in the hut. Pakistan, sensing a series win, sat firmly in the driver’s seat. Blackcaps ended the day at 26/2, still 48 runs in the arrears.

Yasir Shah grabbed his record-breaking 200th Test scalp early on day four as he trapped Will Somerville in front of the stumps. Ross Taylor attacked and attacked hard. His flashy knock gained New Zealand 22 runs from 14 balls but, it also took away their most experienced batsman. In walked Henry Nicholls to accompany Williamson and thus began a spectacular rearguard action.

Williamson assumed the controls and fought in his own class. His footwork against spin was exemplary. The 28-year old was nimble-footed against world’s best leg-spinner who was operating on a day four track. The captain did not shy away from pouncing on the loose deliveries and promptly dispatched them in style.

19th Test ton

Batting briskly as ever, Williamson brought up his half-century in just 78 balls. The cover drive that he struck to move from 69 to 73 was so crisp that the umpire could have started waving his hand right at the moment ball left the bat. Again, there was no flourish, no posing for the photographers, cracked the shot, and Williamson was back to his stance.

On a pitch where there was uneven bounce and a good amount turn, Williamson waited for his opportunities. He defended dutifully and stamped his class on deliveries that were loose. He raced into the 90s as New Zealand’s lead went past 100. Pakistan’s captain Sarfraz Ahmed promptly brought the field up but the Kiwi champion managed to bring up his 19th Test hundred with a strong backfoot punch boundary that the opposition would’ve felt in the gut.

Williamson was relentless even after the hundred. In the post-tea session, he encouraged Nicholls and soon the runs started flowing from both the ends. Nicholls’ growing confidence was evident in his reverse-sweeps off Yasir Shah, he ended unbeaten at the end of the day on the score of 90.

Kiwis in cruise control

Batting in the sapping heat of UAE desert for a whole day, Williamson returned to the pavilion with 139 runs by his name. He was dropped twice on 80 and 106 but he survived to inflict a 198-run lead on Pakistan. His partnership of 212 runs with Nicholls didn’t merely salvaged New Zealand’s series loss but also brought them on the cusp of clinching it.

The bearded beast was dismissed on the first ball of the fifth day. Williamson was out for his overnight score of 139. It was the first time he was dismissed after scoring a century in the second innings. He had remained unbeaten on all the five previous instances.

New Zealand then changed gears and added 81 runs in just nine overs. Pakistan facing the target of 280 runs in 79 overs capitulated against the pinpoint kiwi bowling attack. The spin pair of Ajaz Patel-Will Somerville and Tim Southee crashed Pakistan to 156 all out to complete a historic series win. This was New Zealand’s first away series win against Pakistan since 1969. The wait of 49 years was now over!

With his 89 and 139 in the final Test, Kane Williamson topped the series run-charts. He missed out on the Man of the series award but was, of course, the Man of the Match for his stellar effort. The series win accentuated the importance of Willamson’s knock. Coming out in an adverse situation, he lifted his side from the pit and brought them in the ascendency. All this in alien conditions, on a deteriorating track against world-class bowlers. All this with a touch of class.

In the post-match presentation, Williamson completed his interview with Rameez Raja gracefully. Before joining his team for the celebration, he acknowledged Mohammad Hafeez’s contribution to Test cricket and wished him well. Williamson did not have to do it, but he did, with a touch of class.

~Written by Omkar Mankame

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