Joan Williamson with a photo of her grandsons Kane Williamson (batting) and Dane Cleaver (wicket keeping) playing each other in the Gillette Cup as teenagers. Photo / David Beck
Joan Williamson with a photo of her grandsons Kane Williamson (batting) and Dane Cleaver (wicket keeping) playing each other in the Gillette Cup as teenagers. Photo / David Beck
Former Taupō mayor Joan Williamson is not the first grandmother to keep a box of newspaper clippings featuring her grandchildren.
Hers just happens to include a couple of Black Caps.
Her grandson Dane Cleaver was called up to the Black Caps test squad in England last week, turning a quick single into a two for the proud grandmother. Dane joins his first cousin, another of Joan's grandchildren, Kane Williamson in representing their country.
Despite the pair only being a year apart in age, they have not actually played a great deal of cricket together. They even played against each other in the Gillette Cup, Kane playing for Tauranga Boys' College and Dane for Palmerston North Boys' High School.
Joan says Dane's selection for the Black Caps is the reward for a man who has been "knocking on the door" for many years.
"He's played for Central Districts, New Zealand Under-19s and New Zealand A. He's made a pile of runs and he's very good behind the wickets. All through those, he has played with the Lathams, the Bracewells, all these guys who have made the Black Caps now.
"I'm so pleased for Dane because he has knocked on that door for so many years now and Kane has been the one that everyone knows, I'm so thrilled for Dane to get his opportunity. I'm sure it will help Dane having Kane there with him, he is a confident young man though, he believes in himself and fair enough too."
Joan says she is very proud of what her grandsons have achieved on the cricket pitch, but she is more proud that they have both proven to be good people - Kane's sportsmanship and good nature winning him fans all over the world.
"The most important thing to me is they grow up to be good sporting, decent people. I think it's fair to say these kids are good people, as well as being good at sports. It's interesting, I have this box of newspaper clippings and all the way through they talk about Kane's statistics, but he couldn't care less about the stats - he just loves playing cricket.
"We're actually quite a sporting family. Their grandfather, my husband, played for what is Northern Districts now and was quite well-known. We were farming though and playing sport and farming full-time doesn't really go, it was hard to make a career of it in that generation. It's very different, of course, for our grandchildren who are all doing wonderful things."
Joan Williamson has kept a detailed record of her grandsons' cricketing achievements. Photo / David Beck
An interesting piece of trivia to keep in the back pocket for future pub quizzes is both Kane and Dane are twins.
Joan believes being twins may have played a part in driving them towards their goals.
"Dane has a sister, who lives here in Taupō, and Kane has a twin brother, it's quite a funny coincidence really. I actually think there is something in that, they grow up supporting each other and having someone to bat against, as it were, their entire life."
In terms of watching cricket, Joan says she will often stay up all night when the Black Caps are playing overseas, as they are in the current series in England. She describes herself as a head shaker, rather than a fan who yells at the television.
"I watch right through the night. Obviously, through watching cricket for 60-odd years - my dad was an Englishman and crazy on cricket so I grew up watching with him - I love it.
"I don't scream and shout, in fact, my family knows the quieter I get, the more serious the situation is. I understand the game and I absolutely love it.
"All in all, these boys have a lot of talent but they have worked very hard at it, both of them. I couldn't be more pleased to see them both succeeding while also being decent family men."
Finally, Joan's thoughts on THAT Cricket World Cup final against England in 2019?
