Men Who Will Own The Cup: Kane Williamson

The "Mr. Cricket" moniker already belongs to Australia's Michael Hussey, but if there was a New Zealand franchise, it would be Kane Williamson's.

Anecdotes abound about a young Williamson and devout practice regimes that either ended when coaches' arms needed physiotherapy or the sun set. Williamson once scored 120 not out in a winning chase of 160 at an intermediate school tournament for 12- and 13-year-olds. He worked the strike in such a way that he faced every ball of the last five overs.

As a member of the national Under-19 side, he impressed New Zealand great Glenn Turner. "He stood out not only because of his natural talent but because he was one of the few who asked questions," Turner says. "He was teased a bit for doing so, but I thought, here's a guy who is keen to learn."

Williamson's Test exploits today require no introduction, as he's one of seven batsmen to score seven centuries before age 24. In an ODI career now almost five years old, the sight of Williamson plying the bruised blade of his Gray-Nicolls at No. 3 is a panacea to fans familiar with a batting order prone to wicket-eating viruses that can sweep through unsuspecting dressing rooms and induce collapse. His skills with his willow wand are backed by useful offspin and sharp fielding, particularly as a specialist gully.

"The skill of the No. 3 is that they have to be able to go in with the score at 100 for 1 or in the first over," says New Zealand coach Mike Hesson. "Nothing flusters Kane. He can carry on the momentum or stabilise the innings. Through genuine strokeplay, he can score quickly or manoeuvre the ball into gaps. He plays pace and spin equally well."

Craig McMillan, former international and now team batting mentor, concurs. "He has the ability to adapt his game to different conditions by making the slightest changes to his technique," says McMillan. "For instance, he's a brilliant player of spin because he picks up the length of deliveries early, allowing him to use fast footwork and the depth of the crease. That gives him more time than any New Zealand player I've seen." Williamson's 145 not out at better than a run a ball to set New Zealand up for the 2013 ODI series victory in South Africa demonstrated such batting dynamism.

An example of his consistency came last summer against India, when he took New Zealand past the 32nd over in each of the five matches, being dismissed at 153 for 3, 174 for 3, 189 for 2, 188 for 3 and 193 for 3. That allowed the middle order to flourish in the 4-0 series win. Chips over the infield were matched by strokes that wouldn't look out of place on a snooker table, such was their adhesion to the baize.

Another asset for Williamson is his imperturbable temperament. You could set the popping crease on fire and he'd still be more interested in calculating whether point's right arm is worth testing for a quick single.

As Turner discovered, Williamson's appetite to improve is ravenous. He has sought advice from great overseas No. 3s such as South Africa's Jacques Kallis and India's Rahul Dravid. When Williamson played at Yorkshire last year, he caught up with Hashim Amla, who was playing at Surrey. The South African had made a pair against Somerset not long before but said he'd been hitting the ball as well as ever. He made good on his word with a century the next day.

That forms part of the Williamson mantra: He doesn't want to be defined by the runs he scores but by the way he scores them. Some days he'll get out to an unplayable ball or brilliant catch, but he believes playing the percentages will ultimately earn prized numbers.

"I enjoy talking to players I grew up watching and working out how they achieved success," Williamson says. "Being a professional provides a challenging environment at times, with a lot of distractions. I like the way those players were calm. They took everything in their stride."

Williamson will need that to deal with the folder marked "World Cup Hype" in his in-tray. After New Zealand's round-robin-topping heroics of 1992 at home, expectations are high.

"There are lots of positive elements to playing at home, but the key is to have your game in order," Williamson says. "If the team gains momentum, it's a simpler process putting those outside influences to bed. Cricket can be fickle, so you're better off trying to improve rather than falling back on what you think works."