AN ailing Kane Williamson propelled Tauranga Boys' College into their third Gillette Cup national schoolboy final in three years with a stunning allround display yesterday in their Northern Districts semifinal.
Williamson, up most of Monday night with stomach pains and the'flu, shook off the illness to hit 99 and take 4-30 with the ball to lead Boys' College into December's eight-team Gillette Cup showdown.
Facing Hamilton's St Pauls Collegiate at Nicholson Field, Williamson was caught pushing for his century as Tauranga Boys' were dismissed for 288 in the final over.
Tauranga Boys' then strangled the St Pauls run chase, restricting them to 179-9 off their 50 overs.
While disappointed not to score a century, Williamson said the team's improved effort was what mattered.
"The boys stepped up today with the bat - we're a young team and have been a bit low on confidence but we went out with good intentions and played with intensity."
The New Zealand under-19 batsman was unsure how big a part he would play yesterday after a sleepless Monday night.
"I wasn't seeing the ball too well at the start of the innings and mis-hit quite a few and I would have been real happy with 100 today given the way I was feeling.
"I knew I was on 99 and tried to doddle one around the corner for a single, which was a shame."
Williamson got solid support from Brett Sorrenson (53), with Shane Wineti hitting 24 and tailenders Mitch McCann (13no) and Kurt McCarthy (19) adding 34 for the final wicket to drag Tauranga Boys from 254-9.
"We rely on our batting - our bowling is okay but a bit light - and the good thing about today is that among the top six, even when wickets fell, it didn't stop our momentum.
"There was a brief lull when Shane and I got out but then we picked it up again."
Wineti also completed a tidy game with a miserly 2-26, with Tauranga Boys' now looking to repeat their effort of two years ago when they finished as joint winners of the Gillette Cup.
Alfriston batted first and were rolled for just 45, a target Tauranga knocked off in a canter.
Next Monday, Tauranga play St Kentigern or King's Primary (both from Auckland) for a place in the Milo Cup New Zealand final.
Gillette Cup: Tauranga Boys' College 288 (K Williamson 99, B Sorrenson 53, S Wineti 24) def St Pauls Collegiate 179-9 (B Thompson 61; K Williamson 4/30, S Wineti 2/26).
