Williamson returns with 93 as New Zealand post 319/8 v England on day 1 of 1st test

 

New Zealand  after blanking India 3-0 in the test series in India starts well to reach 319/8 on the opening day of the 1st test vs England  at Wellington as their former captain Kane Williamson scored a fine 93 runs on return after injury . 

Kane Williamson fell just short of his 33rd century, getting dismissed for 93 on the first day of the Christchurch Test against England. This marked the 13th time Williamson has been dismissed in the nervous nineties in international cricket, surpassing Rahul Dravid’s record of 12 such dismissals. At the top of this list remains Sachin Tendulkar, who was dismissed 27 times between scores of 90 and 100 in his international career. Returning from injury, Williamson's composed innings was instrumental in taking New Zealand to 319/8 at stumps on Day 1 of the three-match series opener.

By the end of the day's play, after 83 overs, Glenn Phillips (41*) and Tim Southee (10*) were at the crease. Southee, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket after this series, provided valuable support. Williamson, sidelined by injury during New Zealand’s historic 3-0 series win in India last month, has played only two Tests and a single first-class match since June this year. New Zealand had reached a strong position at 193/3 before tea, but England staged a late comeback in the final session, claiming five wickets, including Williamson’s crucial one. Spinner Shoaib Bashir was the standout performer for England, taking 4/69 in his 20 overs.

Williamson, who fell seven runs short of a century, anchored New Zealand’s innings with key partnerships—58 runs with skipper Tom Latham (47), 68 with Rachin Ravindra (34), and 69 with Daryl Mitchell (34). His inclusion in the team came at the expense of Will Young, who had been instrumental in New Zealand’s series win in India, scoring 244 runs at an average of 48.8 and earning the "Player of the Series" award. Despite the pressure, Williamson exhibited immense patience and focus, taking 15 deliveries to open his account and contributing just seven runs to his first 50-run stand with Latham.

The team's 100-run mark came up in the 22nd over, thanks to Williamson’s consecutive boundaries after fending off the new ball. England’s decision to bowl first did not yield immediate results as their pacers struggled to capitalize on the favorable conditions. Gus Atkinson managed an early breakthrough, dismissing Devon Conway (2) in the second over. However, Williamson held firm, while others batted more aggressively at the other end. Atkinson later dismissed Williamson, who struck 10 boundaries in his 97-ball knock, leaving New Zealand at 227/5.

Other contributions came from Tom Blundell (17) and Nathan Smith (3), though they fell cheaply. A vital 46-run stand for the eighth wicket between Phillips and Matt Henry (18) helped New Zealand edge closer to the 300-run mark before stumps.