South African batsman David Bedingham praised Kane Williamson for his outstanding performance in the first Test between the two teams. David Bedingham recognized the game-improving potential of him adopting Kane Williamson’s approach.
Kane Williamson became the fifth New Zealand batsman to score centuries in both innings of the opening Test. Kane helped the team record a 281-run victory at Mount Maunganui. However, his performances were overshadowed by Rachin Ravindra’s 240-run knock.
Williamson made a century with 118 runs off 289 balls after getting a reprieve in the first innings. Rachin Ravindra made a significant impact with his first double century in Test cricket. The duo helped the New Zealand team reach a formidable total of 511 runs.
New Zealand opted not to impose a follow-on, allowing Williamson to secure his second century in the red-ball match. He scored 109 runs off 132 deliveries, with 12 boundaries and sixes. Captain Tim Southee declared the second innings with a lead of 528 runs.
We can all get a lot out of Kane Williamson’s innings – David Bedingham
During the post-match presentation, David Bedingham highlighted the importance of learning from Kane Williamson’s approach to improving his performance. Bedingham suggested that adopting even a fraction of Kane’s technique could greatly benefit all players.
“From a batting point of view, we can all get a lot out of Kane’s innings. We don’t bat like him, but in terms of application, even Rav (Rachin Ravindra). If we can learn 10% from Kane, we will all be better players,” Bedingham said.
Pretty upset I didn’t get a hundred – David Bedingham
During South Africa’s chase of 529 runs on the fourth day, Bedingham emerged as their only bright spot in the second innings. The right-handed batsman played a counter-attacking innings, scoring 87 runs off 96 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries and three sixes.
David Bedingham expressed his disappointment at missing out on a century but stressed his commitment to countering the opposition’s bowling attack by maintaining his focus. He highlighted his preference for dictating the terms of his innings to maintain control.
“Very upset for not having scored a hundred. We practice that type of tactic (against short balls) because the Kiwis do it a lot. I’m glad I stuck with it until the end. The first one on Henry was a bowler I was blocking, and I thought one might explode and I’d get caught, so I’d better go after it. Plus, I like to play on my terms,” he added.
South Africa opted for a second-string team against New Zealand due to their key players’ participation in domestic T20 matches. The visiting team aim to reverse their fortunes in the upcoming second and final Test match at Seddon Park, starting on February 13.
New Zealand rose to first place in the ICC World Test Championship standings, securing 66.67% points from three matches. On the other hand, South Africa’s ranking fell from fourth to seventh position as its points percentage decreased to 33.33%.
Also Read: NZ vs SA scorecard, highlights from 1st Test 2024: Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson shine with bat as New Zealand register 281-run win