Veteran New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson is set to bid farewell as he prepares for his final appearance at Lord’s during the first Test against England.
During his press conference on Tuesday, the 35-year-old stopped short of joking when he realized the significance of the event.
“Yeah, really? You’re delaying my lunch, it’s not nice of you…”
Williamson will earn his 110th Test cap on Thursday and, if all goes well, will have six more lunches before the end of the tournament.
His first appearance at Lord’s came in 2013, while his association with the ground lasted until 2012, when he played on an overseas contract for Gloucestershire against Middlesex in the Clydesdale Bank Pro40.
Apart from his previous four Tests at the home of cricket, Williamson’s only first-class outing came in 2014 for Yorkshire, when Middlesex chased down 472 with ease.
Last summer, Williamson signed a unique deal with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) which allowed him to feature in The Hundred for both Middlesex and London Spirit.
The move comes after he pulled out of his New Zealand central contract the previous year after missing two Tests against Zimbabwe.
With no national contract in the twilight of his career and uncertainty over future tours of New Zealand with no Future Tours plan beyond 2027, Williamson will be expected to savor every moment of his final week at NW8.
“It’s always a special test,” Williamson said. “I think if you look at your career, you only get… it depends on how long you play… but yes, I’ve played for a while and you only get a handful of opportunities to come and play at Lord’s.
“I think it’s very special that they keep the tradition. That’s what’s unique about Lord’s; the history around it, the effort that goes into it all. You come here and notice the differences in all the other fundamentals.
“Going out onto the pitch through the long room, bumping into some of the members, and the lunches are iconic. There are a lot of memorable things here. But it’s a special place to play, and I think everyone appreciates every opportunity they get.
“You have to get the experience of being here. I know a lot of players in the dressing room, it’s their first time, they’re really excited about the opportunity.”
Six of the current New Zealand squad featured in Ben Stokes’ first game as full-time England captain in the final Lord’s Test in 2022. Tim Southee, who led the attack alongside Trent Boult in that match, is also part of England’s backroom staff as a bowling consultant.
Williamson’s record at Lord’s was modest by his lofty standards, averaging 32 from eight innings compared to his career average of 54.58. However, he has his name on the plaque in the away dressing room, a feat that has eluded many legends including Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.
One of his most memorable acts on the field was in 2015 when he scored 132 in a thrilling Test loss by 124 runs. As the game went into the final day, Moeen Ali caught Trent Boult at deep third.
That game later helped rekindle interest in English Test cricket, and England regained the Ashes series later that summer. Current England head coach Brendon McCullum, who was the New Zealand captain at the time, could make a similar spark 11 years later.
Recalling his century, Williamson revealed how the match was both a remarkable batting display and a dramatic change in the conditions that shaped the match.
The former New Zealand captain spoke of the honor of being on the Lord’s Roll of Honor and how that particular Test was one of the highlights of his career and what went against his side.
He also noted how the nature of the pitch and the changing overhead conditions made batting challenging as the game progressed.
“The honor roll is something people talk about a lot. It was a fantastic game of cricket too, to be fair. We lost but scored 700 runs, took 20 wickets – any other day we’d be happy.
“It was a good pitch and then the overs came on and the lights came on and all of a sudden it was very hard, and that’s some of the characteristics you have in England with Dukes ball. It was a memorable time a while ago, but I remember it fondly.”