Will Young after reaching 50 for the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
Will Young after reaching 50 for the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
For a sport that can be unconscionably cruel, cricket also sometimes finds a way of meting out moral justice to its protagonists.
Few are more deserving of turning patience into success than Will Young.
He made 82 on the second day of the second test at Edgbaston,his highest score in the format and the highest by a New Zealander in five tests at the venue, dating back to 1958.
The 28-year-old right-hander eked out his innings across 204 balls and 306 minutes to ensure the Black Caps are poised to pounce at 229 for three in reply to the hosts 303.
A bat-pad catch in the final over gifted twirling off spinner Dan Lawrence his maiden test wicket, but Young had engineered an innings to rival the construction of the two-tiered Hollies Stand beer snake as the day's crowning achievement.
Until last summer, Young had largely been a victim of circumstance, playing in the age of New Zealand's greatest three-four test combination in Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.
The Central Districts protégé had even been on the verge of a test debut in England as far back as 2015 when he played for the Bristol club in Gloucestershire. He was called into the New Zealand squad and placed on stand-by for the second test against England at Headingley when injured keeper BJ Watling eventually played as a specialist batsman.
Fast forward six years and Williamson's ongoing battle with a tear in his left elbow tendon created an opportunity to seize with the inaugural world championship final against India looming in six days.
Young created his own destiny this northern hemisphere summer.
Will Young after reaching 50 for the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
He signed a contract with Durham and scored two centuries opening in bowler-friendly May at Chester-le-Street in England's north. One was in the third innings of the match against Worcestershire, but the other came in an opening stand of 208 after Warwickshire had been dismissed for 87.
At Edgbaston, Young came to the wicket at 15 for one in the sixth over with the ball moving and England menacing after posting 303. The lights came on as dark clouds loomed. However, the university geology major proved a rock for the tourists.
He found an ideal partner in Devon Conway, not just because of the Wellingtonian's form and mental control, but because he had faced similar circumstances trying to prise his way into the test line-up until last week's double century on debut at Lord's. They have much in common in their pathway to international level.
The pair put on 122 for the second wicket, pressing New Zealand into a dominant position. That included 87 runs in the middle session. After Conway's exit for 80, Young also benefited from the presence of Stags teammate Ross Taylor, despite an initial 31-ball period of sustained pressure from Stuart Broad and James Anderson. Young eventually enabled them to seize back the momentum when he eased an overpitched Anderson delivery through the covers to move to 49.
Fluency of placement provided the spine to Young's innings.
He produced arguably the shot of the day with an on-drive from Stone; he clipped and glanced off his pads at will; and he was as at ease with full-blooded cover or square drives as he was playing with softer hands under his eyes to evade the cordon.
Yes, there was anxiety early, particularly against the scrutiny of Broad in the 50 balls Young and Conway faced from England before lunch - he advanced to six from 23.
When play resumed Young was dropped on seven by Joe Root in the slips off Olly Stone at 52 for one, before entrenching himself during the middle session.
The remaining New Zealand line-up would be advised to follow his lead.
