It’s the final over. Your team needs eight runs for victory. It’s tense. So what do you do?
If you’re Kane Williamson, you strike your first six of the match to reach a century and put your side within one run of victory.
The New Zealand captain’s sublime 106 from 138 balls in a low scoring game anchored the Black Caps to their tense four-wicket World Cup win over South Africa on Wednesday.
Chasing 242 for victory, Williamson hit a six and a four to reach the target with three balls remaining.
“It’s the sort of game that makes you prematurely bald,” ex-New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney said on Test Match Special.
“Williamson had to battle and battle, not just the pitch, not just the South African side, he was locked in a battle with himself.
“As he walks off now I’m sure there’s a premature peak showing.”
The win took New Zealand to the top of the Cricket World Cup table, while all but ending South Africa’s semi-final hopes.
Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan: “Eoin Morgan grabbed the headlines for his power-hitting exploits yesterday and rightly so, but this Williamson innings was something else. Under
immense pressure he played an old school gem. What a player. What a ton.”
Former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney: “It was mental quality from Kane Williamson today. He didn’t look comfortable, couldn’t play the shots he likes to play and he was frustrated.
“He had to battle the demons in himself. He trusted his instinct that he could do it and the four down to third man in the penultimate over was crucial. He taught his team a lot today.”
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis: “I think Kane showed exactly what to do – he found it tricky to score but he waited for one guy, or a period, where he attacked. We had a lot of stop start.”
