Williamson receives plaudits after scoring Test match saving ton in Wellington

Wellington, Mar 28(ANI): New Zealand middle order batsman Kane Williamson has received plaudits from his teammates, and also from the South African team after scoring a match saving century on the final day of the Wellington Test match.

Confronted by a South African attack that was firing on all cylinders, Williamson guided New Zealand to safety in one of the better rearguard test centuries in recent memory.

He survived a formidable assault from the world's most imposing pace battery, physically and verbally, shook off a catching controversy, and made the tourists pay for dropping him twice early on.

After toiling hard for 327 minutes and 228 balls, Williamson was unbroken, even if his protective box wasn't, which was split in half by a Dale Steyn rocket.

Kiwi's stand in captain in Test, Brendon McCullum, hailed Williamson's brave innings.

"I'm not quite sure that Kane has realized what he has done just yet, but in terms of New Zealand cricket history it will go down as one of the gutsier innings, and one of the more gutsy fighting efforts on the last day against this sort of attack," Stuff.co.nz quoted McCullum, as saying.

Proteas captain, Graeme Smith also lauded Williamson's gutsy innings, as they tried their best to break him down.

"He [Williamson] stood his ground terrifically. We gave him everything. People will talk about the chances but that's part of batting. We threw a lot at him; he was very calm and I think it was a terrific knock and one for him will be a great stepping stone," Smith said. (ANI)