New Zealand 243 for two (Latham 86, Williamson 97*) vs West Indies
Kane Williamson made clean progress and Tom Latham was assured, as New Zealand ended a dominant first day on 243 for two, having been put in to bat by Jason Holder on a pitch whose color was indistinguishable from the outfield. The bowlers, significantly seamers, have been anticipated to dominate. However the followers who got here to the Seddon Park in Hamilton received to see a masterclass from their nationwide captain. It is a good factor New Zealand have managed their Covid-19 state of affairs effectively sufficient to have mask-free attendances on the stadiums – correctly appreciating a Williamson masterclass wants a free vary of facial expressions. On shedding the toss, Williamson mentioned he would have bowled first. He then proceeded to point out how Jason Holder’s choice to bowl may very well be made irrelevant.
Williamson was inside touching distance of a twenty second Check match century, having batted from the time he got here within the center as if he had been on a gradual red-ball eating regimen for months, as an alternative of collaborating in essentially the most intense T20 competitors on this planet. He was batting on a serene 97 at stumps, having are available in as early because the fifth over. That was the one interval of play when West Indies have been at parity with New Zealand. Debutant Will Younger had been trapped in entrance by Shannon Gabriel a ball after being reprieved with a dropped catch behind the stumps courtesy Shane Dowrich, and New Zealand have been 14 for 1 in 4 overs.
Thereafter, Latham and Williamson placed on 154 runs for the second wicket to grind West Indies down. When Latham fell, bowled by a peach from Kemar Roach, Ross Taylor joined Williamson and the runs stored coming. The unbroken third-wicket stand was already value 75, and West Indies have been decreased to bowling Kraigg Brathwaite within the final over of the day to only end the day’s play rapidly.
Early rains meant the primary session was washed out, with the remaining two classes elongated, however though 85 overs had been budgeted for, a pace-heavy West Indies bowled solely 77 regardless of one other further half hour being tacked on on the finish of the day.
Latham and Williamson ensured most of these overs went New Zealand’s method, though a considerably tardy West Indies bowling assault made their jobs simpler. They needed to negotiate probably powerful situations, in opposition to an assault that ought to have fancied itself to profit from getting first use a lush inexperienced pitch. However, a mix of poor traces by the West Indies bowlers and exemplary management by Williamson and Latham, meant West Indies’ benefit on successful the toss was negated completely.
Latham was compact, content material to go away deliveries all day lengthy if wanted however pouncing on any errors in size. Williamson was a bit extra adventurous when it comes to getting bat on ball, however each bit as managed in his shot-making. Williamson leaned into his drives with trademark magnificence, and on the uncommon events when a supply spit at him or did one thing surprising, his arms and wristwork have been nimble sufficient to barter the ball.
Latham had a stroke of luck when he flashed at a brief and large one to the keeper, off Holder within the penultimate over of the primary session. There was an audible noise because the ball went previous bat, however solely Darren Bravo at first slip half-appealed and the remainder of the West Indies fielders, together with the bowler and captain, have been silent. Replays confirmed a spike on Ultraedge because the ball handed the bat, however Latham went on to double his then rating of 43, finally out for 86 when Roach received a full ball that was angled into him to straighten and cannon into the stumps through an inside edge.
Initially, West Indies’ seamers could not discover the appropriate size, and allowed Latham and Williamson to gauge the pitch higher with a number of balls they did not need to get their bats close to to. Holder’s pure again of size was such that balls from there would carry over the stumps. Roach combined some testing deliveries with a complete bunch that have been too far outdoors off to threaten the stumps, whereas Gabriel provided scoring alternatives in between his on-target deliveries.
After the primary session, the bowlers attacked the stumps much more, however by then, New Zealand’s second-wicket pair have been effectively set. The one second of cheer for the remainder of the day arrived through Latham’s wicket. And it was not a lot cheer as solemnity, with Roach – not too long ago bereaved because of the demise of his father – sinking on one knee and staring on the pitch when he broke via Latham’s defences.
