Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

One of the great joys of being a sports scribe is seeing young sports people develop from talented teenagers into world class players.

Western Bay of Plenty international cricket star, Kane Williamson, made official his status as the best New Zealand Test batsman that the country has ever produced, in the Black Caps second innings against England in the second test in Wellington, on Monday.

Williamson, who stood aside as the Black Cap Test captain earlier in the season to concentrate on his battings skills, re-inked his position as the country's greatest test batsmen, as he ground his way past Ross Taylors former mark of 7683 runs.

Included in the new mark, was Williamson's 26th test century since he made his test debut back in the 2010/11 season.

A mountain of Williamson's accolades are headed by the bible of cricket, Wisden Cricketer's Almanac. They include 'Leading Cricketer in the World” in 2015 followed by the Wisden 'Cricketer of the Year” in 2016.

While the word ‘prodigy' has been often applied to Kane Williamson, his mammoth success and achievements, have been anchored by an unbelievable work ethic. His work in the nets from a young age, has built numerous stories of local people throwing down balls to the young star of the future, until their bowling arm ached.

I have had the privilege of charting the course of a large number of promising Western Bay of Plenty age-group players, in my roles as Bay of Plenty and Western Bay Cricket media coordinator, over the last two decades.

Flicking back to some earlier cricket copy, produced the following glimpses of a young Kane Williamson headed towards the top of world cricket. The 2004 BOPCA Annual Report carried, 'Another century to Kane Williamson wasn't enough to stave off defeat for Otumoetai Intermediate in the finals of the Milo Cup (NZC Intermediate School Championship) being played in Palmerston North,”

The same 2004 report said 'The Bay of Plenty Cricket Coastlands under 14 team returned from the ND tournament in Gisborne with an unbeaten record and first place in the tournament” . 'The outstanding player of the tournament was Bay of Plenty's Coastland, Kane Williamson. The talented youngster finished the tournament with 420 runs from four turns at the batting crease and was dismissed just once.”

Bay of Plenty senior representative selection came on the 27 November 2005 against Hamilton , when KS Williamson became BOPCA representative player number 475. He became the then youngest player ever selected for the Bay, at 15 years 111 days, eclipsing Matthew Hart and Daniel Flynn.

Again the 2008 BOPCA Annual Report piece heaped praise on the young man heading places. 'A superlative batting performance, from one of the rising stars of New Zealand cricket, couldn't propel Tauranga Boys College into the final of the Gillette Cup.”

'As the innings unfolded, the talented youngster took charge, defying the South Island team's bowlers attempts to take his wicket. When Williamson was finally dismissed, the scoreboard showing that he had belted 112 runs in his time at the wicket.”

A ND professional contract at just 17 years of age and New Zealand Under 19 captaincy, led to Black Cap (ODI) selection in August 2010 – The rest as they say is history.

Post Script: What a test we saw in Wellington with more twists and turns than a snake in long grass. New Zealand were dead on day three after being forced to follow on – only to come back on day five to claim victory by a solitary run.