Voyager 2023 media awards

NZ Herald

1 Mar, 2024 02:16 AM2 mins to read

Communication between wickets might be a work-on for the partnership of Kane Williamson and Will Young.

In the first test between the Blacks Caps and Australia, Williamson fell victim to one of the more baffling run-outs you’ll see.

Facing just his second delivery, Williamson dug the ball out and back past bowler Mitchell Starc to the fielder at mid-on. After initially calling “wait on”, Williamson felt they could scamper through for a run and called Young through.

Calamity followed.

Young was slow off the mark as he was ball-watching, turning his head just in time to see Williamson bolting straight at him as he hustled through for the run. Both batsmen then tried to change their line to run on the outside of the other, but collided. Starc had chased the ball off the pitch and had held his ground outside the usual running line.

A direct hit from Marnus Labuschagne followed and Williamson’s attempted run became a slow, frustrated walk back to the sheds.

It was a run-out the Black Caps did not need after opening batsman Tom Latham dragged the ball onto his stumps two deliveries earlier, playing too late on a ball from Starc that angled in towards his off-stump.

When Rachin Ravindra was caught off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood just three deliveries after Williamson’s dismissal, it added to a dismal half-day for the Black Caps.

With Australia ending day one on 279-9, they put on a further 104 runs before No 11 Hazlewood was finally dismissed for 22.

Cameron Green, who entered at No 4, was unbeaten on 174.

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