Cricket: Leave talk out of captaincy and just let brilliant Williamson work batting magic

Kane Williamson in action. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Shortly after lunch yesterday, Murali Vijay was practising his batting shots as he stood at first slip.

The Indian opener dropped into his catching position and approximately one second later the ball, delivered by luckless Mohammed Shami, flew off the edge of Kane Williamson's bat to his left.

Vijay, his mind perhaps still on his back foot defensive mime and certainly a fraction late in reacting, spilt the regulation chance.

A day's cricket can hinge on such moments. Williamson was on 32. New Zealand should have been 72 for four. By stumps the board had a vastly different look.

The only other time Williamson appeared discomforted yesterday was when he fell awkwardly completing a run and studied his left hand for a couple of minutes.

Otherwise it was an outstanding exhibition from a batsman in prime form who seems to be taking the next steps in a career that looks set to have plenty more upward trajectory to come in the next 10 years.

Williamson's back foot play is superb, his footwork quick and nimble, his placement through the onside expert. One clip with slide rule precision between two fielders at mid wicket and mid on off Shami was a short-price contender for shot of the day.

On the recent occasions Ross Taylor has been interviewed after another of his stellar performances in a mighty summer, he has made a point of paying tribute to his younger teammate. Taylor missed out yesterday, but at No3 and No4 the pair have provided New Zealand with sustained high quality, both individually and in partnership, for weeks.

Their methods are distinctly different, but yesterday belonged to Williamson and captain Brendon McCullum.

They mounted a quality rescue operation without which New Zealand's ambitions to carry on their fine work in the West Indies tests and Indian ODI series wins may have ended on day one of the two-test rubber.

For some time Williamson has been talked off as the captain in waiting. This talk should be flagged away. It is likely to happen in the future but for now just view the 23-year-old for what he is - a terrific young batsman who need focus only on making runs instead of being saddled with unnecessary tags.

McCullum will have enjoyed Williamson's innings from the other end too. His own second 100 of the summer contained the usual measure of belligerence, and he hunkered down through some tough periods, too.

Together they reinforced the idea that real backbone is forming in this New Zealand team.