Kane Williamson of New Zealand prepares to bat during a New Zealand Training Session at Lord's Cricket Ground. Photo / Getty Images.
Kane Williamson of New Zealand prepares to bat during a New Zealand Training Session at Lord's Cricket Ground. Photo / Getty Images.
As Black Caps captain Kane Williamson eyes his fourth test at Lord's, NZME cricket writer Andrew Alderson details what those preparations really look like.
Everyone has their happy place.
Some love waltzing about Disneyland, sampling the rides.
Some enjoy strolling through the Louvre, admiring the art.
Kane Williamson relishes stridingacross Lord's hallowed turf, playing cricket.
The Herald joined the New Zealand captain as he prepared for his fourth test at the iconic venue in London's St John's Wood.
His return comes after he and wife Sarah experienced the joy of becoming parents for the second time to son Paddy, a brother to 17-month-old Maggie.
However, a sense of frustration also lingers for the 31-year-old cricketing folk hero and his legion of fans. A persistent elbow injury kept the parties apart for the entire home summer.
Now those prepared to dedicate themselves through the night in New Zealand, or privileged enough to attend Lord's, can see him play again.
Williamson is back at the scene where his niggling tendon became insubordinate last year, but he embraces the traditions with no sense of trepidation.
The skipper is determined to filter out the hype of the occasion. Channelling any anxiety into performance is a puzzle to solve.
NZME cricket writer Andrew Alderson talks to Kane Williamson at Lord's. Photo / NZC.
"Lord's is always a special place to play and generates a lot of excitement in the team," Williamson says.
"So many parts make it unique – the dressing rooms, talk of the honours board on the wall and the famous paintings up the stairwells."
One portrait in particular confronts visitors as they descend the stairs and prepare to tread through the Long Room. West Indian great Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards embodies what it means to challenge an adversary. Staring the 1.93m x 1.93m version of Viv in the eye before entering cricket's most famous theatre must surely spark a fight-or-flight reaction?
"In my experience, you get down those stairs and past the members as quick as you can to walk out to bat," Williamson says.
"You don't do too much sight-seeing. Your mind is on the job. The members' area tends to be polite though. They clap you out, although it was pretty quiet last time during the bubbles [of the Covid pandemic]."
The question of navigation is not as simple as it sounds.
England's David Steele, once described as "the bank clerk who went to war" due to his steel-rimmed spectacles and prematurely grey hair, descended one too many flights of stairs on debut against Australia in 1975 and ended up in the basement dunnies.
New Zealand's Tony Blain also struggled in 1986 when entering as 12th man after Willie Watson split his trousers. He claims that after racing down the stairs and through the Long Room he came across a hand-written sign saying "this door is closed on Tuesdays".
Blain recalls a mini-Mexican wave starting among bacon-and-egg tie clad members to follow his progress. He eventually thought "bugger this" and leapt the picket fence.
Williamson says he will fuel up each day on a breakfast of porridge or weetbix bejewelled in fruit and "probably grab a coffee". That's partly so he doesn't get too bloated, but the plan contains further wisdom.
"Touring sides enjoy the privilege of the Lord's lunch.
"You go to a dining area up the stairs from the dressing room, take a seat and order from options on a wall menu. They do it so well."
Prawns and stir fry have been favourites from the multiple times Williamson has grazed at cricket's version of a Michelin-starred restaurant.
So, are we talking silver service?
"Yeah, it is a little bit," Williamson chuckles. "It's not your usual buffet, that's for sure. Everything that happens is done to a 'T', right down to the polished cutlery."
Upon arrival, players tend to gravitate to certain spots in a dressing room. Some like the view close to the balcony of the 132-year-old pavilion, others prefer to nestle in the back. Williamson opts for a Goldilocks strategy "on the side somewhere".
The Herald also dares to ask whether the famously modest captain permits himself a glance at an honours board gilded with the inscription "2015 KS Williamson New Zealand 132".
NZME cricket writer Andrew Alderson talks to Kane Williamson at Lord's.
Effortlessly he eases onto the back foot and swivel pulls the question into the delight the team experienced seeing "2021 DP Conway New Zealand 200" feature this year upon return.
"That innings was something incredibly special on debut."
This writer had the pleasure of observing the 22-year-old Williamson waddling to an interview in pads, sporting a serene smile ahead of his first test appearance at Lord's in 2013.
Little, apart from acquiring a chunk of wisdom, has changed in the interim.
As he said at the time: "You always want to play at Lord's but you start to understand the importance of playing here as you grow up."
