Black Caps legend Kane Williamson scored another century this week in Hamilton. Photo / AFP
Black Caps legend Kane Williamson scored another century this week in Hamilton. Photo / AFP
Editorial
Debates about which of cricket’s Fab Four is the better batter have raged for years and show no signs of dimming.
Yet more than any other sport, cricket offers a statistical foundation for supporting and developing arguments.
For Kane Williamson, the Englishman Joe Root, Australia’s SteveSmith and India’s Virat Kohli the currency of excellence is often deemed to be centuries.
Centuries count more than the runs accumulated in their absence – through tons, batters put their teams in command of five-day matches; they break the willpower of bowlers and the concentration of fielders. Somehow, 100 adds up to far more than merely “one run more than 99″.
On the measure of centuries-per-innings played, Williamson stands clear of the rest. His 33 test centuries – the latest quietly accumulated in Hamilton this week – have come from 186 innings. That means the Kiwi has bagged a century every 5.63 times he’s gone in to bat.
With 33 from 200, Smith gets a ton every 6.06 innings; Kohli (30, 206) is on 6.86; and Root (36, 278) is running at a gentlemanly 7.72.
Australia's Steve Smith celebrates with teammate Travis Head after scoring his most recent century against India this week. Photo / AFP
Williamson tops many of the game’s biggest names – Kumar Sangakkara (6.13), Sir Garfield Sobers (6.15), Jacques Kallis (6.22), Sachin Tendulkar (6.45) and Brian Lara (6.82).
In fact, the only batter in history (with a meaningful number of tests to their name) to score more centuries per innings played is the unmatchable Sir Donald Bradman (29 from 80), with a scarcely believable 2.75.
One aspect is harder to measure – and it has put Williamson at a significant disadvantage. It’s often noted that batters have difficulty transitioning back to the five-day test format after spending time playing in slap-and-giggle Twenty20 leagues. It takes time to develop the patience and hone the technique required by the more demanding rhythm of the longer format.
Virat Kohli walks off after being dismissed by New Zealand's Glenn Phillips last month. Photo / Getty Images
The powers that run cricket are based in India, Australia and England – the most lucrative broadcast deals are tied to their teams, therefore those sides get more test cricket in more meaningful series. The system is rigged to give Smith, Kohli and Root more time at the crease than Williamson.
The other three of the Fab Four get more opportunities to develop their test batting craft. Even Smith, who served a ban from the game after being caught in a ball-tampering scandal, has played more tests (112) than Williamson (105). Root has played 152 tests (despite debuting in 2012, two years after Williamson) and Kohli 121 (after debuting in 2011).
In 2024, Root got to bat 31 times in test matches; because of the paltry opportunities afforded to New Zealand, it took Williamson all of 2023 and 2024 to accrue the same number of innings.
It’s about to get worse. While the other three nations have packed schedules for next year, Williamson is likely to miss the only two tests on offer (a tour to Zimbabwe) before the anticipated arrival of the West Indies next summer.
If practice truly does make perfect, how much more perfect could Williamson have been with more time practising the art of test match batting?
