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12/02 00:43 CST Kane Williamson returns to test action with a half century for
New Zealand against West Indies
Kane Williamson returns to test action with a half century for New Zealand
against West Indies
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) --- For Kane Williamson it was business as usual.
After 12 months away from test cricket as a privateer in professional leagues
around the world, Williamson ground out his 38th half century for New Zealand
on Tuesday on the first day of the first test against West Indies.
It wasn't classic Williamson: he was rusty and it showed. He played and missed
more than usual, many of his early runs came from thick edges and on 33 his
stumps were shattered by a no ball.
But his dogged nature was evident as he reached 52 from 102 balls after coming
to the crease when Devon Conway was out to the third ball of the day.
Williamson put on 93 for the second wicket with Tom Latham and helped New
Zealand overcome a makeshift but demanding West Indies attack to reach 231-9 by
stumps.
Latham, also out of sorts, made 24, scoring from only 11 of the 85 balls he
faced. Of his half century partnership with Williamson from 105, he contributed
10.
West Indies captain Roston Chase needed no prompting to bowl after winning the
toss. There was heavy greenish grass on the pitch at Hagley Oval and a brooding
overcast promised the ball would swing.
Chase showed faith in a pace attack led by Kemar Roach, playing his first since
January aged 37; Ojay Shields on debut at 29 and Johann Layne, playing his
second test at 22.
"With age coming on and I hadn't represented the West Indies as yet I didn't
think it was necessary to challenge the youngsters for a place in the Jamaica
Scorpions franchise team. So I literally was thinking of giving up," Shields
said.
"That first over, my heart was pumping real hard. I took control of my emotions
and did what I had to do."
Only 10.3 overs were bowled in a rain-affected first session at the end of
which New Zealand was 17-1. New Zealand added 121 runs in an extended second
session in which 32.3 overs were bowled and at the cost of Williamson, Latham,
Ravindra and Will Young.
Williamson was bowled by Shields in the 19th over but the 29-year-old was
denied a prime wicket on debut when he over-stepped. He fell finally to a
superb ball from Greaves which pitched short of a length and New Zealand was
94-2.
Latham was out one run later, driving at a ball outside off which moved away
slightly and carried from a thick edge to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach.
After tea, Tom Blundell stepped up the pace with 29 from 39 balls. In the first
two sessions New Zealand had been so cautious that Chase was able to keep his
field up, with only one man out. The result was that more threes were run than
is typical in a New Zealand innings.
Blundell was bowled by Shields to finally give the stocky right-armer his first
test wicket.
Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith (23) put on 52 for the seventh wicket,
guiding New Zealand past 200, and Bracewell went on to 47 from 73 balls.
New Zealand is the only test-playing nation yet to start its campaign in the
new World Test Championship cycle. New Zealand's only other test series in 2025
was against Zimbabwe in August, a 2-0 series win.
____
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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