Kane Williamson Continues Record-Breaking Run in Golden 2015
Kane Williamson had a fabulous 2015 as he piled on runs in all formats. However, his Test form has been remarkable and he is now the new world number one.
Supreme. Elegant. Run-machine. Solid. Assured. Calmness. All these factors symbolise Kane Williamson and his achievements in what has been a fabulous 2015. His run-scoring across all formats this year has been unprecedented. His batting has ensured that New Zealand continue their unbeaten run in Tests at home. It is thanks to his contribution that the team has lost only one Test series in the last four years. (Williamson Century Helps New Zealand Sweep Series Against Sri Lanka)
Following his match-winning century in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Hamilton on Monday, Williamson broke a string of records. Here is a list of his achievements. (Williamson Displaces AB de Villiers As The New King Of the Mountain in Tests)
# With his unbeaten 108 against Sri Lanka, Williamson notched up his fifth century in 2015. These are the most number of centuries by a New Zealand batsman in a calendar year.
# Williamson has scored 1172 runs at an average of 90.15 with five centuries and four fifties. These are the most number of runs scored by a New Zealand batsman in a calendar year. Before Williamson, Brendon McCullum had the record for most runs in a calendar year for the Kiwis with 1164 runs in 2014.
# Williamson is the fifth batsman to go past 1000 runs in Tests in 2015. Alastair Cook is on top of the pile with 1357 runs in 13 Tests while Joe Root, David Warner and Steven Smith are the others.
# With this century against Sri Lanka, Williamson now has 13 Test tons, level with Ross Taylor. He is only four centuries behind Martin Crowe's New Zealand record of 17 centuries.
# Williamson has scored 2633 runs across all formats so far in 2015. Kumar Sangakkara heads the all-time list with 2868 runs last year. He can still break the record as New Zealand will play three ODIs in 2015.
# This is the first time that Williamson has occupied the top spot in the ICC Rankings for Tests. Earlier in 2015, Steven Smith, Joe Root and AB de Villiers were the players who occupied the No.1 spot at certain intervals.
# New Zealand's 2-0 win has extended their unbeaten run in Tests at home. They have not lost a series at home since March 2012, when they lost 0-1 to South Africa.