New Zealand's master batter continued his love affair with Hamilton. Video / Sky Sport
Seddon Park fans are more familiar than most with the sight of Kane Williamson removing his helmet and raising his bat.
But given that image is set to become increasingly scarce, neither familiarity nor low stakes will have lessened the experience.
Williamson struck his 33rd test hundred on the third day of the third test, toying with the attack on Monday while guiding his side to an invulnerable lead.
The Black Caps all but ensured their former skipper’s 156 would come in a consolation win to conclude a 2-1 series defeat, dismissed with an advantage of 657 before reducing England to 18-2 at stumps.
It means another former skipper will bow out with a victory, though Tim Southee now walks away marooned on 98 career sixes.
The retiring seamer holed out against part-time spinner Jacob Bethell while looking to become the fourth member of the century of sixes club, one fronted by the opposition captain (Ben Stokes, 133) and coach (Brendon McCullum, 107).
Southee was at least treated to one last Williamson masterclass, the Northern Districts duo having been inseparable through age-group, domestic and international cricket.
Watching Williamson methodically wear down attacks while bringing up milestones must be almost mundane for Southee – and scores of seasoned observers on the Seddon Park banks.
This was Williamson’s seventh test century in Hamilton – the Basin Reserve with five sits second on that scorecard – and his fourth knock exceeding 150.
Having considerably lifted his scoring rate to help ensure the target would extend even beyond England’s considerable reach, Williamson ended his innings after 204 balls and left the field averaging 94.9 on his provincial home ground.
This year began with a match-winning 133 not out against South Africa at Seddon Park, capping a series in which he collected three tons in two tests.
The spree of four in 2024 saw Williamson leap ahead of several cricketing greats – the latest former Australian captain Steve Waugh. The 34-year-old now lies level with former England captain Alastair Cook and contemporary rival Steve Smith, who hit No 33 a day earlier across the Tasman.
Smith is a year Williamson’s senior while Joe Root – watching from the field with 36 hundreds in his highlight reel – is the youngest of the trio. But the Kiwi faces markedly fewer opportunities to boost a total that’s now enough to share 11th on the all-time leaderboard.
Unless Williamson makes the mid-year trip to Zimbabwe, he may play only two tests in the next 18 months. Root, in contrast, can look forward to a five-test home series against India before next summer’s Ashes in Australia, while Smith will prepare for that series with four tests away to Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Kane Williamson pulls during his century against England at Seddon Park. Photo / Photosport
But Williamson can be content in holding an edge in frequency – he averages a century every 5.6 innings, compared with Smith’s mark of 6.0 and Root’s 7.7.
The England No 4 will have a chance to crack No 37 on Tuesday, with the tourists certain to end this series swinging for the fences.
Completing a chase that exceeds the world record by 239 runs will require several individual knocks of great significance. A more feasible scenario: England aim for a good time, not a long one, eager to end this triumphant series and head home after an arduous year.
The weight of all that cricket – this is their 17th test since January 25 – took its toll on Stokes, forced from the bowling crease on day three with an apparent hamstring injury.
That eventually led to a farcical final session as England protected the rest of their seamers by giving Shoaib Bashir 36 overs and complementing his spin with Bethell and Harry Brook, who took the new ball with 14 overs’ bowling experience.
New Zealand’s middle and lower order persisted in padding what quickly became an unassailable advantage, spooked perhaps by a combination of England’s imperious batting order, two days of forecast fine weather, a flat pitch, fast outfield and short boundaries.
That allowed Daryl Mitchell (60) to register a 19th half-century and Mitchell Santner (49 off 38) to embellish a fine comeback test. Unfortunately for Southee, he was unable to join in the fun with the bat.
The Alternative Commentary Collective is covering every home Black Caps test this summer. Listen to live commentary here.
Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.
