By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) – Kane Williamson faced his
toughest day of test cricket in his young career on Tuesday,
staring down a snarling, fire-breathing quartet of South African
pace bowlers with their passion up and sensing blood.
The 21-year-old walked to the wicket with New Zealand on
2-1, needing an impossible 389 to win the third and final test
at the Basin Reserve and square the series, and with the
knowledge that captain Ross Taylor would not play any further
part in the game after breaking an arm.
When he left the pitch at stumps, he had ground his way to
102 not out, his second test century, and shared in valuable
tail-end partnerships with Kruger van Wyk and Doug Bracewell to
snare an unlikely draw.
“I’m not quite sure that Kane has realised what he has done
just yet,” New Zealand vice-captain Brendon McCullum told
reporters.
“In terms of New Zealand cricket history, it will go down as
one of the more gutsier innings and one of the more gutsy
fighting efforts on the last day against this sort of attack.
“It took a pretty special innings from one person and some
supporting acts from others to be able to keep them at bay.
“There was never a let up in that bowling attack and they
continued to come at you and never made it easy… they gave it
their best shot but couldn’t get past Kane.”
Continued…
