Likewise, his 166 in Perth, when New Zealand were staring down an Australian first innings of 559, earned respect from the most partisan of fans. When Williamson is batting, fans are drawn with a gravitational force towards grounds, televisions and radios.
However, Hazlewood has struck a seam, as it were. Williamson looked to be concentrating harder than ever on a ground which, before yesterday, he averaged 210.5 batting second in five test innings.
Radio Sport Cricket Podcast: First test, day 3
Since Perth, Williamson has had seven innings against Australia (three in ODIs and four in tests) and averaged 21. Hazlewood has hatched a clear plan which will no doubt continue into the second test in Christchurch.
If there are genuine issues, how Williamson works through them will be fascinating.
Perhaps he has just had a series of good balls, and every batsman goes through fluctuations in their career.
New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan subscribes to that theory.
"There's nothing major he's doing differently since Australia. He's just not quite nailing those scores like earlier in the season.
"It was just a good piece of cricket that got rid of Kane. It's their best bowler against our best batsman which makes for an intriguing battle."
Few work harder at their game than Williamson, and he is blessed with a self-analysis gene which has a knack for identifying weakness. This will likely be a blip rather than a trough.
The onus now goes on his teammates today, with six wickets in hand, to prove to their likely future skipper they have the mettle to match him, despite batting in the shadow of Australia's gargantuan first innings and the prospect of reverse swing on an increasingly abrasive surface.
