Kane Williamson: Boundary countback "not really cricket"

The New Zealand captain played no part in the T20I series that preceded the upcoming Test series and, thus, will be facing England for the first time since the World Cup final

Kane Williamson has described the boundary countback that determined the conclusion of the World Cup final as “not really cricket”.

The New Zealand captain was speaking ahead of the first Test against England – the first time a Test has been held at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval. The venue is close to where the batsman was born and raised, and represents a ‘home’ appearance for Williamson, the third-ranked batsman in Test cricket.

He played no part in the T20I series that preceded the upcoming Test series and, thus, will be facing England for the first time since the Lord’s showpiece, which ended with England victorious courtesy of a regulation that has now been changed after it came in for severe criticism following the final.

“I think everyone has played hundreds of games of cricket and never had one decided quite like that,” said Williamson, whose Blackcaps side was forced to chase England's total in the World Cup Super Over by virtue batting first in the match itself.

“It was hard to take. But it is what it is and they were the rules at the time, what you sign up for.

“It's not really a surprise [that the rule has changed]. I genuinely think that no one ever thought that was going to happen and it did.

“At times, you think about how some of those decisions are made – probably sitting in a room and throwing a few ideas around. That's all I can imagine. For it to actually happen is a pretty scary thing.”

The ICC announced in October that the boundary countback has now been replaced as a means for settling a tied Super Over. Now, further Super Overs will be employed until there is an outright winner.

The Big Bash also removed the regulation on the back of the summer drama. Other than the World Cup final in July, only one other match in recorded history has been tied following a Super Over.

On that occasion, in the 2014 Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals beat Kolkata Knight Riders on the boundary countback rule after both teams were tied on 11 runs following the Super Over.

England and New Zealand met - improbably - in a second Super Over in the final T20I of the five-match series at Eden Park, Auckland. When both sides made 146 in 11 overs after the initial game was shortened due to rain, England came out on top in the six-ball challenge, with Chris Jordan comfortably defending England's total.

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