WTC Final: Player Ratings for New Zealand batsmen
New Zealand beat India by eight wickets in a rain-marred inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in Southampton.
In a low-scoring game, New Zealand's batsmen fared better than India's, with the only two fifties in the match coming from them. In a game that was decided by the finest of margins, there were also other New Zealand batters who stepped up and shone on the big stage.
While the India vs New Zealand clash was largely a bowlers' affair, the Black Caps batsmen led by Kane Williamson did manage to make a mark on the game. On that note, let's have a look at the ratings of New Zealand's batsmen in the game.
Tom Latham: 6/10
One of the last remaining old-school Test openers in the game, Tom Latham had one task coming into the WTC Final – see off the new ball.
Pressure on him to score runs at the top has drastically reduced ever since Devon Conway has come into the XI. So Latham confidently went about his business on both occasions he came out to bat in Southampton.
His first-innings knock of 30 of 104 balls was a masterclass on playing the ball on merit in English conditions as Latham put down the anchor and went about his business.
Although his attacking instincts got the better of him in the second innings, Latham still managed to survive the first hour, which was crucial in the context of the game.
He may have scored just 39 runs across both innings in the final, but the time he spent at the crease was key, as New Zealand negotiated tricky conditions in Southampton.
Devon Conway: 7/10
Another recent New Zealand recruit who has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water, Devon Conway was one of two batsmen who scored a half-century in the WTC Final.
His 153-ball 54 was worth its weight in gold, as Conway came out to bat at the worst possible time, against a charging relentless Indian pace battery. But the New Zealand ace was one of the few players who was able to pick up the scoring rate. That was evident in Conway scoring the second-most boundaries for New Zealand in the game.
Kane Williamson: 9/10
Kane Williamson came into the WTC final with his back against the wall: a niggly elbow, tough batting conditions and a not so impressive record in England and against India. Many felt the New Zealand captain would struggle to impose himself on the big stage.
But he proved them wrong. In a brilliant display of defensive batting, Kane Williamson came in at no. 3 and was the eighth New Zealand wicket to fall, with his team were in the lead. Williamson's stay at the crease lasted almost five hours, which enabled New Zealand to take a crucial lead in the game.
He became more comfortable as the game went on and looked closer to his best in the second innings, as he stitched together an unbeaten 96-run partnership with Ross Taylor.
Williamson's tally of 101 runs in the final may not seem much. But that constituted almost a quarter of his team's runs in the final and took his team home in what could have been a tricky chase.
Ross Taylor: 7.5/10
Ross Taylor has had a few disappointments during his time with New Zealand. So it was only apt that the 37-year-old brought out his signature flick and found the boundary to seal's New Zealand victory in the WTC final on Wednesday.
After failing in the first innings, Ross Taylor came out to bat when New Zealand were 44/2, having lost both their openers in a span of four overs. Taylor used all his experience, crafting a crucial partnership with Kane Williamson to get his team over the line.
Sure, he was dropped by Cheteshwar Pujara, but Taylor deserves credit for playing according to the match situation and thwarting the Indian bowlers.
Henry Nicholls: 5/10
It is harsh to judge Henry Nicholls’ performance, considering the 29-year batted just once and lasted only 23 balls in the WTC final.
But there is a case to be made that Nicholls could have done more with that opportunity. And the fact that he was dismissed in an uncharacteristic manner negatively impacted his rating.
BJ Watling: 5.5/10
Like Henry Nicholls, Watling had a torrid time at the crease in the final innings of his international career, lasting only three balls.
He ends up just ahead of Nicholls in the rankings because he got an absolute jaffa from Mohammed Shami, which most top-order batsmen would have struggled to contend with.