Williamson bolsters New Zealand for West Indies Test series

New Zealand batting talisman Kane Williamson returns to the Test arena for the first time in a year to bolster the hosts’ line-up in the first Test against the West Indies in Christchurch, which begins Tuesday.

The 35-year-old sat out New Zealand’s only other Tests this year — a 2-0 series win in Zimbabwe in August — but has a formidable Test record against the West Indies.

From seven home innings, he averages 72.57, while over 10 innings in the West Indies, the figure is an impressive 51.33.

One of the greatest batsmen of his generation, Williamson has a career average of 54.88 from 105 Tests, with 33 centuries.

He scored 156 against England in his last Test innings at Hamilton in December last year.

West Indies captain Roston Chase said Monday there was only one way to quell Ken Williamson.

“Patience. I would say the most important thing is patience,” Chase said as his West Indies team went through their final practice.

The West Indies face a monumental task. They have not won a Test in New Zealand since 1995 and lost both the Twenty20 and ODI series last month.

“We want that win,” said Chase, who believes his side can end that 30-year win drought. “We don’t want to be on the bad side of history all the time.

“I mean, we fought well in the two white-ball series, and I just think if we can learn a bit faster and adapt a bit faster, especially with problem solving, we can get over the line with the red ball for sure.”

While the Test opens New Zealand’s campaign in the new edition of the World Test Championship, the West Indies have already played five in recent months without success, losing 3-0 to Australia and 2-0 to India.

The recent lack of five-day cricket for New Zealand, whose previous outing before Zimbabwe was that home series against England a year ago, did not faze captain Tom Latham.

“For us it’s about trying to hit the ground running and try to get into the mode of Test cricket as quick as we can,” he said.

“And if we do that, hopefully that gives us a good chance at the back end of the match.”

Christchurch’s Hagley Oval presented a green wicket on the eve of the Test on Monday.

It led Latham to predict that “it will be no different” from previous Tests at the venue where the team that wins the toss elects to bowl first.