The stakes faced by batsmen every time they take the crease are sky-high, given it takes one small mistake to cost the team a wicket and turn the complexion of a game. Friday was no different in New Zealand when Kane Williamson endured the softest of dismissals that triggered a calamitous collapse.
New Zealand threw away a formidable opening stand of 105 runs between Tom Latham and Will Young to be left reeling at 315/9 by Stumps on Day 1 of the third and final Test against England, at Seddon Park on Friday. The former top-scored with 63 and in Kane Williamson, Latham found a reliable successor to hand over the responsibility to further the team’s efforts with the ex-Kiwi skipper looking comfortable on an innocuous track. However, just when the side needed a steadying hand after a couple of quick blows from the visitors, Williamson ended up gifting away his wicket in bizarre fashion and the expressions that followed told quite the story.
In the 59th over of the innings, Kane was up against Matthew Potts and attempted to see off the over with a routine front-foot defence against a delivery angling in towards fourth stump. While the soft-handed approach has begotten the Black Cap nearly 10,000 Test runs across his career, on this occasion the technique backfired as the Kookaburra hit the slanted bat and spun backwards to bounce under Kane’s eyes before heading towards the stumps. The veteran made a last-ditch attempt to change his fate with an extended right leg to clear the danger, inadvertently impersonating name-sake England football captain Harry Kane in the process, but ended up emulating the wrong Harry as the red cherry hit the foot and rattled into the stumps.
Kane immediately threw his back in disgust and looked up at the heavens exasperated before a long hard stare at the stumps as if the poles were to blame for his dismissal. The entire saga made for high-quality entertainment and Twitterati was quick tof east on it.
Oh wow!
Kicked away
Bruh Kane Williamson literally kicked himself out 😭 pic.twitter.com/yKmdPRzYNd
— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) December 14, 2024
OH, NO! Kane Williamson facepalms in disbelief as the ball trickles onto his stumps 🫣
McDelivery, delivering your @MaccasNZ favourites straight to your door.#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/28bhm152VM— Sport Nation NZ (@SportNationNZ) December 14, 2024
Good time!
LOL
Harry Kane bna rha tha Williamson https://t.co/hfX4wu2C5A
— Kartik Sehgal (@kartik_vlsi) December 14, 2024
When football nation meets footy nation
Kane Williamson needs to brush up his football skills.#nzveng pic.twitter.com/MOsnzGyE90— Somnath Chakraborty (@Somnath44333169) December 14, 2024
Just cannot believe it
Heartbreaking
“Heartbreaking dismissal for Kane Williamson! 😱 Defended the ball perfectly, but it spins back onto his stumps. Cricket can be so cruel at times! 🏏#KaneWilliamson #Cricket” pic.twitter.com/hct3uasce9
— Hemant Bhavsar (@hemantbhavsar86) December 14, 2024
Unlucky Kane Williamson 😪😢#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/9Q8VrfS8Mr
— Rahul SK (@rahulphys) December 14, 2024
Own goal
Kane Williamson own goal though😮💨
— Mayank (@ImMayankB) December 14, 2024
