The Williamsons: Brett, Kane and Sandra. Photo / Supplied
Proud parents of two Bay cricket heroes, a former Black Cap, ecstatic coaches and fans have reacted to New Zealand's "history-making" sporting achievement.
Kiwi fans woke to news today the Black Caps had beaten India by eight wickets in the inaugural World Test Championship in Southampton, England.
Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson's Mount Maunganui-based parents Brett and Sandra were "absolutely thrilled" with the win.
"This is just a combination of three or four years of really hard work," Brett said. "It is absolutely huge."
Brett said it was a "pretty sleepless" night.
"We went to bed not sure whether we wanted to watch it as three results were still on the cards and memories of Lord's 2019 started to flood back, so we were just hoping and praying that something positive would come out of this."
About 4.30am the texts started flooding in: "you better get up and watch this".
"It's very exciting and we're ecstatic for Kane and the team, it's absolutely fantastic."
Brett had yet to speak to his son but reckoned the whole team would be buzzing.
He said they had little contact with Williamson in the days leading up to the match.
"We tend to leave him alone, he is a very busy boy."
Significant dates! ✍🏽 #WTC21 #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/kjwxzqfOTX
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 23, 2021
Brett was particularly proud four of the team's players were based in Tauranga - Colin de Grandhomme, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult and his son Kane Williamson.
"It is really important to our Bay of Plenty cricket and sporting fraternity. Sandra and I are very thrilled with what they have achieved."
Parents of Rotorua-born Trent Boult, Wendy and Ian Boult, were thrilled with the result.
"It is history-making. Never before in New Zealand cricket history has this happened," Ian said.
Ian said he and Wendy had not yet spoken to Trent but said: "We are all so very proud of Trent and the team".
"Words can't describe it. You never expect your son or someone in the family to get to a level where these boys are.
"It is so special."
Former Black Cap Chris Pringle, who lives in Tauranga, said the New Zealand team was a "wonderful group of men" extremely well led by Williamson.
"It is going to be inspiring for the next group of players over the next 15 years," he said.
Pringle said the team would be feeling "immense pleasure and satisfaction" after the championship test win.
"They are playing the pinnacle of game, which is test cricket," he said.
"It's with them for the rest of their lives. You can't take that away from them."
Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones said he watched the first session and the winning rounds this morning.
"It was incredible. I was a bit gobsmacked to wake up to the team just about to win."
Jones said it was a different feeling to the nail-biting super over in the 2019 Cricket World Cup when England took the final glory in a heartbreaking end for the Black Caps.
"This one has been over years. It's been such a long path to get there," he said.
Significant dates! ✍🏽 #WTC21 #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/kjwxzqfOTX
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 23, 2021
"It's one of the biggest sporting achievements we've ever had. It's got to be up there, arguably more than a Rugby World Cup."
Jones said the Black Caps' success had certainly helped lift the profile of the game.
"Kids have got some of the world's best to look up to.
"You had to be a strong person to be a New Zealand cricket supporter in the past but not now. These guys are the best in the world."
Tauranga Boys' College's Neil Howard coached Williamson in the First XI 15 years ago and said the school was proud to "see our boy do his thing".
"For them to even get to this game is just an incredible achievement. Then for them to go through six days of having to battle through weather is just epic.
"I think it's one of New Zealand's great sporting achievements in any code; we just beat a country that's got a population of excess of one billion people."
Howard said Williamson would "be super proud of the team first".
"But I hope he will have a deep sense of satisfaction that the vision, of creating a team our whole country is proud of, has come to fruition."
Charles Williams, who coached Williamson alongside Howard, said the school had an award called the Kane Williamson Shield.
"Most people would think it's for the best player, but it's for the guy who every single training session is doing little things to help out ... just being a really good person.
"That sums up Kane, we use that as an example of the way he plays and conducts himself as to how our boys should be - not just good cricketers, but good people."
NEW ZEALAND ARE THE INAUGURAL ICC WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 🎉#WTC21 Final | #INDvNZ | @BLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/HMIaYI32Az
— ICC (@ICC) June 23, 2021
Russell Gordon, principal of Trent Boult's former school Otūmoetai College, said the win was extra special.
"To be able to talk to students and say that someone just like you who sat where you sat is now world champion ... Kids from school can do great things on the world stage."
Gordon said Boult's success in his passion, cricket, had a strong message for students.
"It doesn't matter who you are and what school you go to; follow your passion, and who knows where it will take you. The sky is the limit."
Tauranga cricket fan Fraser Lellman said there had been a "groundswell" of grassroots cricket from young aspiring Bay cricketers off the back of the Black Caps' success.
Lellman said the Black Caps were great role models.
"On the field they are just as ferocious as any team but they are so humble. They are silent assassins in many ways."
- Additional reporting Emma Houpt
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