It would be inaccurate to suggest that Kane Williamson appeared to be making up for lost time on day one in Christchurch, given his unhurried approach to compiling 93 runs. And considering his well-known ego-free attitude, attributing his performance to some internal turmoil about missing New Zealand's historic win in India would be a stretch. However, his return from a groin injury for the series opener against England did edge out Will Young, the player of the series in that 3-0 triumph. This timely performance was significant, especially since Williamson is New Zealand's record run-scorer. Young's relaxed demeanor during training indicated the genuine one-in-all-in Kiwi spirit. Williamson's dismissal for 93, caught at backward point off Gus Atkinson while attempting to cut a ball that gripped and bounced, drew a typically measured response. "The runs are the team's runs," he said. "Whether it's 93 or more, a lot more is obviously the desired result, but it is what it is. On a surface like that, you ride a bit of luck as well. I played and missed a bit. That's the nature of the beast." Williamson's 197-ball stay provided the backbone for New Zealand's first innings, forming half of three 50-plus stands alongside Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell. His early battle with Brydon Carse, where he was hit in the midriff and responded with two glossy fours, encapsulated his vintage performance. Williamson praised Carse, saying, "He's a nice bowler, bowls a heavy ball and has really good skills to get the ball to shape away. English bowlers are so used to that with the conditions they have back home and the skillsets they possess. They all come in and bowl with really good energy, and he certainly did that too." On Bashir, with whom he had a cat-and-mouse duel, Williamson added, "He did a fantastic job into the wind. The way he did that and picked up a few wickets [four for 69 from 20 overs] was excellent. He got a bit of bounce as a tall guy and made use of it." As the opening exchanges unfolded, Durham's Ollie Robinson was en route to New Zealand after England confirmed his call-up. Robinson, 25, replaces Jordan Cox, who suffered a fractured thumb in Queenstown. If all goes well, Robinson should arrive on Saturday and be in contention for a possible debut in the second Test at Wellington starting on 6 December.
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