Kane Williamson birthday: Facts about the batting maestro
New Zealand cricket skipper, Kane Williamson, turned 28 on Wednesday. One of the Fab four, of this generation, Williamson's game has improved massively in the last couple of years. He has a wide variety of shots and the temperament to play Tests. Pundits portray him as the finest batsman New Zealand have ever produced. Here are some interesting facts about the birthday boy Williamson.
Happy Birthday Kane!
Rich sporting traditions of Kane's family
Kane has a twin brother who was born minutes before him. He also has three elder sisters. He comes from a family of sportspersons. Kane's sisters played volleyball and his cousin Dan Claver plays club cricket for Central Districts. He played rugby as a kid and even excelled at the sport. He was also involved in basketball in secondary school.
A classy batsman since his younger days
Kane had smashed 40 centuries by the time he left school. At 14, he played representative cricket. At 17, he was playing First Class cricket and made his debut for the national team at the age of 20. He hit a century on his debut.
Surfing and philanthropy: The other sides of Kane
Williamson loves surfing and lives in Mount Maunganui. In 2015, he was seen surfing with Proteas player Dale Steyn, while playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2015. The player is also known for his philanthropy. He donated his match fee to the victims of the Peshawar school attack in Pakistan in 2014. During college he was also chosen as the head prefect.
Debut Test: Kane slammed 131 against India
Williamson led Kiwis in the U-19 World Cup held in Malaysia in 2008. He made his senior debut against India and slammed 131 at Ahmedabad. In 2014-15, he shared a record 365-run stand with Watling for the sixth wicket in a Test against Sri Lanka to pull off a 193-run victory. He has slammed the most number of Test centuries by a New Zealander.
Williamson's stats in Tests and ODIs
In 65 Tests, Kane has scored 5,338 runs with a best of 242*. He averages 50.40 in Tests and has 18 hundreds. He also has amassed 5,156 runs in ODIs and has hit 11 centuries and 33 fifties.
