EXCLUSIVE
A rare opportunity to chill out in the Mount Maunganui sunshine and catch up with family and friends is just what Black Cap Kane Williamson needed.
It has been a frantic year for the world-class batsman. From the pressure of the Cricket World Cup, to the IPL in India, a full tour of England, and then captaining his country in Zimbabwe and South Africa, there has been little time away from the game to refocus his energy.
The 25-year-old from Tauranga is particularly upbeat about the African jaunt. He filled in for the resting Brendon McCullum and further established himself as the obvious contender to take over when McCullum pulls stumps on playing. "A lot of positive things came out of that tour. With a number of players missing and new guys stepping up to the side and actually performing very well, that was a really pleasing sign in terms of depth of New Zealand," Williamson said.