Blacks Caps have options but fans want Williamson to make more history - Editorial

Kane Williamson celebrates a century against South Africa last year. Photo / Photosport

Editorial

New Black Caps coach Rob Walter has found himself with a nice problem to have early in his tenure.

While this Zimbabwe team were never going to realistically challenge New Zealand for a victory, there was pressure on certain players to perform strongly.

With Kane Williamson unavailable and skipper Tom Latham injured, Walter would’ve used this test and T20 tour to Africa as an opportunity to see who of his fringe players will still be in the squad come the home summer.

Opening batsman Devon Conway perhaps had the biggest question mark hanging over his head. He arrived in Harare with concerns over his form and future at the international level. But after strong scores in both the white- and red-ball formats, he should now be considered the favourite to walk out with Latham when the Black Caps play the West Indies in their next test in December.

After a torrid couple of months in England playing County cricket, Henry Nicholls was given a second life at test level and made the most of it with his 10th test hundred.

With a couple of strong performances to start the Plunket Shield, Nicholls will have forced his way back into the conversation for one of the Black Caps’ middle-order positions.

Frustratingly, however, Will Young still cannot clear the hurdle of a first test century.

His consistent scores of 40 to 80 show he has the talent but perhaps there is a mental barrier to the three-figure milestone.

Unfortunately for him, pretty half-centuries can be easily forgotten when looking at a scorecard and averages.

Without a mark in the century column after 22 tests, Young may find himself on the outside looking in when Williamson and Latham return.

We are fortunate that in our bowling battery – post the great trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner – Matt Henry has cemented himself as New Zealand’s talisman. During the last 18 months, the Cantabrian has been one of the world’s best pace bowlers.

With a fit and healthy Will O’Rourke, Walter also has an increasingly impressive list of young pace bowlers developing. He could well be afforded the luxury of rotating the quicks through the now constantly packed schedule of cricket.

Selfishly, however, Black Caps fans must have wanted to see Williamson play in this two-test series against Zimbabwe.

Instead of scoring hundreds for Middlesex, he could’ve been making more tons with a fern on his helmet.

As we watch England’s greatest batsman of this generation, Joe Root, chase down Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time test runs record, Kiwi cricket tragics must sigh at the sight of a Black Caps team without our own wizard in whites.

It has become too familiar to note Williamson is missing in action, with the 35-year-old having now missed a third of all New Zealand’s test matches this decade.

We desperately dreamed of a triple century before Brendon’s McCullum’s heroics at the Basin Reserve, and we long for a New Zealander to break the barrier of 10,000 test runs.

With only six tests scheduled for New Zealand over the next 12 months, we’ll cross our fingers that Williamson avoids any injuries in a T20 franchise league and plays in all of them.

Perhaps it is set up for a farewell tour and achieving the feat by smashing Australia on Boxing Day 2026?

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