Shining Knights

The stock of the Black Caps' Northern Knights contingent continues to rise following the national side's test series victory in the West Indies.

Man of the Series Kane Williamson's 161 not out in the second innings of the third test turned the game in the Black Caps' favour, before the Knights duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult combined to take six wickets on the final day.

Fellow Knights player BJ Watling was not to be left out, pulling off a sharp piece of work to remove Shivnarine Chanderpaul, stumped for the first time in his 266 innings, 20-year test career.

The quartet's return for the series was particularly impressive - Southee and Boult combined for 20 wickets, Williamson accumulated 413 runs from 949 deliveries at an average in excess of 82 and Watling scored 207 runs at better than 50 to go along with 13 dismissals.

Williamson's progress is especially encouraging. No player - not even the vaunted Martin Crowe - has scored as many runs wearing the silver fern before the age of 24.

In many ways the former Tauranga Boys' College star is a throwback in the modern era of slap and giggle Twenty20 cricket.

Williamson, whose low-key century celebrations are beginning to look routine, said he was not getting too carried away with his improving statistics.

"I don't look at that at all. I am just trying to improve my game all the time and adapt to what's in front of me," Williamson said.

"I suppose you learn more and more as you play. I have played a lot recently and that helps.

"I just want to stay calm and relaxed at the crease and try and score as many runs as I can, as often as I can."

Consider that the likes of Daniel Vettori, Ish Sodhi, Corey Anderson, Daniel Flynn and newly-signed Dean Brownlie all play their first class cricket for Northern Districts and it becomes clear where the balance of power in New Zealand cricket now rests.