‘You’re delaying my lunch’ – Williamson revels in final Lord’s bow
The Final Bow at the Home of Cricket
Kane Williamson’s press conference ahead of the first Test against England brought about a bittersweet recollection. When asked about his thoughts on the upcoming match, the 35-year-old maestro laughed, saying, “Yeah it probably is, eh? And you’re delaying my lunch, which isn’t very good of you…” This lighthearted quip, which is why “‘You’re delaying my lunch’ – Williamson revels in final Lord’s bow” has become the talking point of the cricketing world, sets the stage for what will undoubtedly be an emotional week. It is hard to believe that the young man who earned his 24th cap at Lord’s back in 2013 is now poised to earn his 110th on Thursday. With six more delicious lunches to enjoy in the legendary Lord’s dining room, Williamson is ready to savour every single moment left at this historic ground.
A Rich History with the Historic Ground
Williamson’s love affair with Lord’s goes back much further than his Test appearances. He first experienced the hallowed turf of NW8 in 2012 as an overseas signing for Gloucestershire, playing against Middlesex in a Clydesdale Bank Pro40 fixture. Since then, his visits have been rare but memorable. Apart from his four previous Test matches at the ground, his sole other first-class appearance here came in 2014 while representing Yorkshire. That particular match is famously remembered for Middlesex chasing down a mammoth target of 472 for the loss of just three wickets—a result that playfully earned Joe Root the moniker “craptain” from his teammates.
More recently, Williamson signed a unique and highly publicised deal with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord’s. This arrangement permitted him to play for both Middlesex and the London Spirit in The Hundred. This strategic move came after Williamson chose to opt out of his central New Zealand Cricket contract, which unfortunately meant he missed two Test matches against Zimbabwe. Now operating without a national deal in the twilight of an illustrious career, and with New Zealand’s Future Tours Programme highly uncertain beyond 2027, this upcoming Test represents a true final farewell to one of cricket’s most iconic venues.
The Magic of Lord’s Tradition
Speaking on what makes Lord’s so incredibly special, Williamson could not help but marvel at the preserved traditions of the ground. “It’s always a special Test,” he reflected. “I think if you look over your career, you only get… well depends on how long you play for… but yeah, I’ve played for a while and you only get a handful of opportunities to come to Lords and play. I think the way they maintain the tradition, is quite special. It’s unique to Lords; the history that surrounds it, the effort that goes into, to all of that, you come here and you, you notice those differences to all other grounds.”
For Williamson, the experience of playing at Lord’s is a sensory one. The walk from the dressing room, through the historic Long Room packed with MCC members, and onto the pristine outfield is unmatched. “Walking out to the pitch through the long room, bumping into a few members, and obviously the lunches are iconic. There’s a number of things that are memorable here. But it is a special place to play and I think everybody feels that their first time and also values every opportunity that they have.”
This sense of wonder is something Williamson is keen to share with his teammates. While he brings over a decade of experience, several players in the current New Zealand squad are preparing to experience the magic of Lord’s for the very first time. “To have the experience that you have here. I know for a number of players in the dressing room, it’s their first time and they’re pretty excited at that prospect,” he added, highlighting his role as a senior statesman guiding the next generation of Black Caps.
An Honours Board Legacy: Outperforming the Greats
Although Williamson’s overall statistics at Lord’s are somewhat modest—averaging 32 from eight innings compared to his magnificent career average of 54.58—he possesses something that many of the game’s greatest legends never achieved. His name is permanently etched on the away dressing room’s honours board, an accolade that eluded legendary figures like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.
This historic feat occurred during the unforgettable summer of 2015. Williamson played a masterclass of an innings, scoring 132 in the opening Test of the series. The match itself was a classic, concluding with a dramatic final day where Moeen Ali took a sensational catch off Trent Boult to seal an England victory. Despite the defeat, that match is widely credited with revitalising public interest in English Test cricket.
“The honours board is something that people talk a lot about,” Williamson recalled with a smile. “It was an amazing game of cricket too, to be fair. We ended up losing, but scored 700 runs and took 20 wickets – on any other day we’re pretty happy with that.”
Reflecting on the unique and unpredictable English playing conditions, Williamson explained, “It was unique because it was a pretty good pitch and then, overheads came over and the lights came on and all of a sudden it was really, really difficult and that’s some of the characteristics that you have here in particular in England with the Dukes ball. It was a memorable time some time ago, but I do remember it fondly.”
As the Black Caps prepare to step onto the field once more, with past teammates like Tim Southee now serving as England’s bowling consultant and former skipper Brendon McCullum leading the opposition as head coach, the stage is set for an epic encounter. For Kane Williamson, this final bow is a time to reflect, to fight, and, of course, to enjoy those legendary Lord’s lunches one last time.
