Kane Williamson first New Zealander to become world No 1 batsman
Monday 21 December 2015 14:55, UK
Kane Williamson has become the first New Zealander since 1974 to be the world's No 1 Test batsman following his match-winning century against Sri Lanka.
Williamson scored 108 not out as the Kiwis secured a five-wicket victory at Seddon Park, New Zealand chasing down a tricky 189.
The century, Williamson's fifth of 2015, was not only a record for New Zealand batsmen in a calendar year but also took the 25-year-old past skipper Brendon McCullum's record tally of 1,164 Test runs in 2014.
And it moved him top of the International Cricket Council's world player rankings - above England's Joe Root - the first New Zealand batsman to reach top spot since Glenn Turner in 1974.
McCullum said: "It was an innings of sheer quality from 'The King' and the rest of us were able to sit back and watch someone at the top of his game.
"I thought it was an outstanding innings."
McCullum and Williamson are the only New Zealanders to score more than 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year, though Williamson, who will end 2015 with 1,172 runs at 90.15, said he did not really focus on milestones.
"It's always nice to get a score," Williamson said.
"But...it means more, I suppose, when you spend some time in the middle and make a larger contribution to a team performance.
"The wicket wasn't easy to bat on. It was extremely important we formulated partnerships along the way. It was nice to do that today and get the team across the line."
Unlike McCullum, who topped 1,000 runs courtesy of a triple century, two double centuries and an innings of 195 in 2014, Williamson has been the model of consistency in 2015.
He started with 242 not out against Sri Lanka in January and added four more centuries. He also scored four half centuries.
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His only failures were at Headingley in Leeds with scores of 0 and six, and last month in Adelaide where he made 22 and nine.
"You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly Test cricket, is playing all around the world against different opposition and you constantly have to adapt your game," he added.
"The most pleasing thing is, I guess each game you set out, you want to contribute as best you can to the team performance and that's all I want to do, really.
"I just try and keep things as simple as possible.
"Looking at each game as it comes and trying to prepare as best as I can for it - but definitely trying to keep things simple."
