Kane Williamson’s retirement poem

This year during the New Zealand tour of England in June, Kane Williamson announced his retirement from the game. Sad news for cricket fans in New Zealand.

Kane will go down as the greatest New Zealand batsman, with 9515 runs at 54.06 and 33 centuries. No one else from New Zealand gets close to these stats.

His highest score was 251 v West Indies, 3 December 2020. He scored six double centuries. I always remember his century against India on tour there in 2010. Williamson scored 131 and it really showed he had the makings of a player who would become great.

Batters who compare to him are Joe Root (England), Virat Kohli (India) and Steve Smith (Australia).

I’ve written two poems for him ‘A Song of Kane’ and 'Anatomy of Kane Williamson's 6', and 'A Song of Kane' was republished in The Cricket Society News Bulletin, July/August 2026 after his retirement was announced. I also mention him in my poem celebrating the World Test Championship final victory.

MARK PIRIE

A Song of Kane

Captain Kane, glowing with runs,
can’t put a pad or glove wrong.
I try to get my bat around it
but it’s seaming impossible.
I always miss, or get edgy about it.
his tip is to watch the ball
on delivery, out of the hand.
His focus on seam stitches up the play.
In life, in cricket, a stroke
of genius comes your way.
Bowie sang the song of KW,
We can be Heroes, just for one day.

Written after Kane’s stellar Test season with the bat 2020/21 in New Zealand.

Poem © Mark Pirie

The poem and 'Anatomy of Kane Williamson's 6' appear in my book, Slips (HeadworX, 2021). Slips is available internationally online at lulu independent bookstore Shop the Indie Online Bookstore | Lulu.