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Williamson hails ‘hard work’ to save Test, seal England series win
HAMILTON, New Zealand, Dec 3, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Centuries from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor
ensured New Zealand drew the rain-hit second Test against England in Hamilton on Tuesday,
sealing a 1-0 series win.
New Zealand batted the final day needing a substantial innings to avoid defeat and were
helped by sloppy England fielding.
Williamson, who had three lives including a howler of a dropped catch by Joe Denly,
described it as a “good effort” to end up with a draw.
“A lot of hard work had to go into saving the match when time didn’t allow us an opportunity
to win it,” he said.
However, England captain Joe Root felt the Test was always heading for a draw, saying even
if the weather and fielding had gone England’s way “we still couldn’t have forced a result.”
Heavy rain arrived soon after lunch to end play on the fifth day when New Zealand were 241
for two in their second innings, 140 ahead with Taylor on 105 and Williamson on 104.
It ensured the spoils went to New Zealand after their innings victory in the first Test, and
improved their record to eight wins, a draw and one loss to South Africa in their past 10
Test series.
Williamson brought up his 21st Test century with a four off Joe Root in the third over after
lunch, while Taylor reached century number 19 with a flourish in Root’s next over when he
smacked a four and two sixes in consecutive balls.
Two balls after Taylor had raised his bat and poked his tongue out in his signature
celebration, the rain arrived to wash out England’s faint hopes.
New Zealand resumed the day at 96 for two with England hunting early wickets but their plans
went off track when Ollie Pope and then Denly spilled simple chances from Williamson.
The New Zealand skipper was on 39 when wicketkeeper Pope put down a regulation offering off
the gloves, much to bowler Ben Stokes annoyance, and on 62 Denly inexplicably dropped an even
easier chance.
– ‘One-off goober’ –
Williamson gently chipped a slower delivery from Jofra Archer straight to Denly at short
midwicket and, as the bowler leapt in celebration and Williamson made an apologetic gesture
to Taylor, the ball popped out of Denly’s hands.
“It was a one-off goober,” said Root using cricketing slang for a shocking error.
There were comparisons drawn on social media to the widely regarded worst dropped catch in
Test history when England’s Mike Gatting put down a sitter off the gloves of India batsman
Kiran More in 1993.
“We worked very hard to try and create chances on a very flat wicket and they don’t come
around very often. It’s very frustrating and I’m sure Joe will not hear the end of it for a
long while,” added Root
Williamson had another life when he should have been run out on 97 but Sam Curran’s shy at
the bowler’s end from mid-off was so far wide of the stumps that the batsmen had time to
return for a second run.
Despite the errors, Root saw the improved England performance between the two Tests as
“very pleasing” ahead of a four-Test tour of South Africa.
Root enjoyed a return to form with his man-of-the-match 226 at the end a poor year when the
skipper averaged below 30.
New Zealand, meanwhile, head to Australia on Saturday for a three-Test series with the 1-0
win over England cementing their number two world ranking behind India.
BSS/AFP/AU/11:45 hrs