However, he has held – and shared since Williamson and Taylor's feats - the national record since he made his eighth ton against Australia at Adelaide on December 12, 1987, passing Glenn Turner and Bevan Congdon.
Thirty years, three months and 11 days later we may see a changing of the guard.
Ahead of the 2015 World Cup, Crowe was asked about Williamson's development.
"We're seeing the dawn of probably our greatest ever batsman."
He chose Williamson over a field of candidates which includes himself, protégé Taylor, Turner and Bert Sutcliffe.
If it happens, Williamson would reach the mark in 114 innings across 64 tests; Crowe took 131 innings across 77.
Not that the milestone will matter a jot to Williamson.
The New Zealand captain will be more concerned in enforcing his side's dominance over England after the visitors were routed for 58 in yesterday's opening session of the first test.
New Zealand are 175 for three in reply.
Last night Williamson led the way with 91 from 177 balls as he numbed the tourists with patience under the floodlights.
His batting, alongside Tom Latham's stoic 26 off 112 balls, Taylor's 20 and Henry Nicholls' 24 not out took an axeman's grip on the country's maiden day-night test.
Perhaps it could be time to head to the ground for the best opportunity yet to see Williamson move beyond Crowe into the ether.
