Kane Williamson consoles some of the South Africa players after the thrilling finish in Birmingham. Photo / Getty
Kane Williamson consoles some of the South Africa players after the thrilling finish in Birmingham. Photo / Getty
COMMENT:
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson had every right to stand his ground during his brilliant innings against South Africa at Edgbaston, even though TV replays seemed to suggest that he nicked a delivery from Imran Tahir earlier in his innings.
No one in their right mind would expect akey batsman like Williamson to walk in a crucial World Cup game – especially if the opposition couldn't even be bothered to appeal.
If anything, the South Africans are to blame for not reviewing the decision, for whatever reason. And, as their captain Faf du Plessis admitted after the match, it wasn't the only opportunity they missed.
That moment shouldn't detract from what was one of the best innings we've seen so far at this World Cup and one that highlights the value of having a captain leading from the front. England skipper Eoin Morgan's 148 against Afghanistan was impressive, as was Aaron Finch's knock for Australia against Sri Lanka. Williamson has now well and truly announced himself at this tournament.
He's having a really good World Cup. He has plenty of experience in English conditions, having played for Yorkshire for a number of seasons, but scoring that first century on this stage will mean a lot. It's a great time for Williamson to be in form, too, as we approach the business end of the competition.
His captaincy has also been near flawless. He's a different character and captain to Brendon McCullum - slightly more reserved with his field settings and not as aggressive with the bat - but he gets the job done and exudes confidence and clarity in everything he does.
The clash against South Africa was undoubtedly the Black Caps' toughest to date but we shouldn't get carried away with the result. The victory, dramatic and entertaining as it was, should probably have been slightly more comfortable and, if we're completely honest, New Zealand have now played the four weakest teams at the tournament - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and South Africa - and had a game against India rained out.
Kane Williamson was named man of the match after his unbeaten century. Photo / Photosport
Yes, you can only play what is in front of you, and the Kiwis have done what has been expected of them, but the real test will come towards the end of pool play. The West Indies this weekend shouldn't be much of a problem, and only once we've faced Australia and England will we really know how we stack up against the tournament favourites.
The one question that remains is whether this team are able to chase scores of over 300 against a decent bowling attack and against England and Australia we might well have to.
Curiously, since the Champions trophy in 2017, England have scored 300 runs or more in an ODI innings 19 times, compared to New Zealand's eight.
I wouldn't expect the West Indies to run the Black Caps close on Sunday (NZT), as they've been very inconsistent and would still be smarting after the unexpected defeat to Bangladesh. It's important, however, that we have the same mental approach in preparing for that game as we would for any other team, as looking too far ahead could see anxiety start creeping in.
That said, I'm sure Williamson and the rest of the senior players won't let that happen. The skipper's maturity in pressure situations, like during the run-chase at Edgbaston, is one of his most impressive features.
That calmness usually only comes towards the end of your playing career, and the fact that Williamson seems completely unfazed by whatever is happening around him - at the age of just 28 - is phenomenal. Every player gets anxious and I'm pretty sure he feels the nerves at times too, yet Williamson's ability to take all of the emotion out of his decision-making gives him and the team the best chance to succeed.
Spare a thought, too, for Colin de Grandhomme. There would have been a fair few question marks around his spot in the middle order ahead of the match, but de Grandhomme would have silenced his critics with this knock. On top of that, he bowled his full allotment of overs and picked up the valuable wicket of Aiden Markram.
Colin de Grandhomme has cemented his spot in the starting XI with his all-round performance against South Africa. Photo / Getty
It would be hard for the selectors to make any changes to the current XI from here, even if the Black Caps managed to seal an early semifinal spot with a victory over the Windies. Should that happen, I still wouldn't experiment with the makeup of the team, as victory over the Aussies or England would not only be good for momentum heading into the knockout games, but it would also give us that psychological one-up over the same sides we're likely to face in the playoffs.
It's still early days, but having now seen what all the teams have to offer, I'd really like us to face the Aussies in the semifinals. Knocking them out would set up a dream final against either India or England.
