Kane Williamson skips Zimbabwe Test series but scores century with ODI-like strike rate in County Championship for Middlesex

New Zealand's World Test Championship (WTC) 2021 final-winning captain Kane Williamson is not part of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe but he has not distance himself from red-ball cricket. Playing for Middlesex, 34-year-old Williamson scored an unbeaten century on Day 1 of the County Championship Division Two 2025 clash against Gloucestershire. The Kiwi batter batted with an ODI-like strike rate of nearly 93 against a bowling attack which features Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy.

This is Williamson's 45th first-class hundred. On a rain-hit Day 1 at College Ground, Cheltenham, he walked out to bat at no.4 when opener Sam Robson and Max Holder lost their wickets to left-arm pacer Matt Taylor early in the innings. 

Williamson batted with caution at first. He got a reprieve when his catch was dropped by Miles Hammond at slip off Murphy's bowling. He shared a 63-run partnership for the third wicket with opener Joshua de Caires who scored 58 runs from 94 balls. De Caires was dismissed lbw by Ben Charlesworth in the 31st over of the innings.

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Captain Leus du Plooy joined Williamson in the middle. The veteran Kiwi batter reached his fifty from 68 balls. He took the attacking route against Graeme van Buuren, hitting him for two sixes and two fours in the 41st over. Shortly after the tea break, he reached his century from 104 balls. 

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Rain played spoilsport again, cutting the day's play short. At the end of Day 1, Middlesex were 232/3. Du Plooy is nearing his fifty. He was batting on 42 off 63 balls, including five fours. On the other end, Williamson remained unbeaten for 104 off 112 balls, including 12 fours and a couple of sixes.

Why Williamson is not playing Zimbabwe in two-Test series?

Williamson has a casual playing contract with the New Zealand Cricket (NZC). He and all-rounder Michael Bracewell opted out of the Test series as it was not part of the WTC 2025-27 cycle. The BlackCaps head coach Rob Walkter said that he had a discussion with both Williamson and Bracewell. 

"Kane and Michael were up front with New Zealand Cricket about their availability for this tour during the contracting process," Walter had said when New Zealand announced their Test squad for Zimbabwe tour.

"While all Test matches are hugely special and important, the fact these Tests aren't part of the ICC World Test Championship did influence the discussions on this occasion."