*Please ignore the Grammatical Glitches*
“Please bowl to me, Dad,” said a three years old kid. His twin brother Logan was not completely into cricket, and his three sisters- Anna, Sophie, Kylie was all into volleyball. So, it had to be Mr Williamson. Whenever Mr Williamson sit down to watch Television or to read Newspaper, the three-year-old Williamson will make his dad to bowl to him. He made sure to hit it on the full so that his dad didn’t have to move. Lesser did they know Kane will become the man he is today.
He grew up in Tauranga, one of the quietest places. Mr Williamson along with a few friends raised fund to build a cricket pitch for the children. Kane and his friends placed in artificial pitch. Though he idolizes Sachin, Ponting, Kallis used to be his pick while playing in the backyard because you can bowl fast as well as you can bat at number three or four.
During his school days, Kane excelled in Rugby, Volleyball, Basketball and Cricket. There was a time where Kane and his twin brother Logan helped their school to win a Rugby tournament. Coming from a place where Rugby runs inside every single person’s blood, Kane was bitten by ‘Cricket’ bee. Kane started to take cricket seriously, and when everyone hated the practice hours to have fun, practising various shots was his type of fun. He and Doug Bracewell grew up together by played for opposite teams when they were young. During the school tournaments, whoever gets the highest score was gifted a voucher by the school principal but Kane never got one. No, not because he never scored but because he was an exception. There were times where his team had to retire him to give chance for other players. He went without getting out for like two straight years during his school tournament (Doug said this in an interview).
Under 14s saw Doug Bracewell and Kane played together and opened the innings for their team. Doug’s favourite incident was when he disappointed Kane. Doug and Kane once opened the innings, played almost all the overs. It was the last ball of the innings, and Kane wanted Doug to play safe so that they can finish the innings without losing a wicket. Doug didn’t listen to Kane’s advice, and unfortunately, he got out off the final delivery. That was the last time when Kane showed emotions on the field.
By the time he left the school, he chalked up over 40 centuries in all forms at all levels. Such was his form during his young age.
When Kane debuted for Northern Districts in 2007, there was a huge expectation on him because people called him a prodigy. He lasted two balls in the first innings, scoring two before Andre Adams dismissed him. He lasted for 10 deliveries in the second before falling to the same bowler who asked Kane to return to his school because he will not survive here. He didn’t play any more matches that season.
He went back, practised harder than ever. He averaged something around fifty in the next Plunkett shield season, and there was no looking back.
He debuted for New Zealand, promoted up the order soon, smashed many memorable knocks. Soon, he was offered the captaincy. Yes, it was too much for a young man, but Kane doesn’t complain.
His job is to stand up for his team. His job is to find those gaps score runs, improvise, repeat. He has learnt to improve a lot in the recent times in all the three formats. His job is to do it all for the team whatever the situation demands because he carried the hopes of the Rugby nation. After picking up cricket, he never thought of doing anything else.
For someone like Kane, his defence stands out. His backward punch, his straight and cover drives and against spinners- he would dance down the pitch, create power from nowhere. He plans, he calculates every single delivery better than any other New Zealand player.
Quoting my favourite lines about Kane- “What really stands out is his lack of ego. He lives in the moment and doesn’t like to celebrate much. Probably, a small grin and a fist up celebration are all we can see from him. He does a lot of charity where ever he goes, tries to hide from the camera. What’s even more special about him is that it’s difficult to make him open up still, he is a giver. He knows to build conversations but he never really opens up. He talks to you for like hours, but you never really will know ‘Kane the man’. ”
As long as Kane is in a good place, New Zealand is in safer hands!
