A bit of hyperbole there, Wrighty, don't you think? Kane made his test debut 2 days after his 20th birthday and in it struck a century in India against India. He was a freak through his entire childhood.
Good to see this kid do well, hopefully it continues. There is a next big star every year. 18 year old Xavier Bell has been sponsored by Kookaburra for the last 4 years running. Take your pick. Hopefully some kick on.
So you all can understand me and be used to the way I post. I either run very hot on a prospect or am incredibly damning with hyperbole used in both directions.
Kane's major strength was and is his intelligence. He is actually not that glamorous a player. David Gower was far more of a treat to watch than Kane. Martin Crowe was more glamorous and easy on the eye and dare I say it more technically correct than Kane as hard that will be hear for younger fans who grew up with Williamson.
This Kid Jones is playing shots in that highlight reel I haven't seen from any NZ player. Pull shots of that calibre I would have to go to Aravinda de silva to find someone better and he is renowned potentially as the greatest pull shot/hooker of all time. The straight drive all of it.
I temper all of this with it was just highlights. I need to see his defensive set up and structure and even how well he can play a leave and his judgement around off stump what to play and let go before I say anything definitive.
As a shot maker this kid is better than Kane and remember how Kane played. At age 11 and 12 Kane was a shot maker. He was taking 12-14 runs off every bowler he faced. As the bowling got better as he went up grades he learned to be more selective and learned to accumulate runs. Kane never dominated attacks once he reached FC level instead he just piled on scores that made it impossible not to select him.
Tom Jones is better than anyone else I have been watching in Domestic this year. Better than Curtis Heaphy, and he is better than Rhys Mariu based on the footage of studied of Rhys making his 200.
If you say Xavier is every better, or was that a light hearted comment I couldn't tell, then I can't wait to see him too.
Remember though I consider Rachin a better stroke maker than Kane. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Tom Jones is as good as Rachin was at his age.
But you can't argue with a century on debut. And he comes from Otago. That team has been beleagured for years so looking at scorecard where they put up 500 is a sight for sore eyes.
