Williamson looking to learn '˜from all the guys' on his return to play for Yorkshire

The New Zealand captain has arrived back at Emerald Headingley ahead of his return to Yorkshire action next Friday in the Roses T20 against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Williamson, who played for Yorkshire in 2013, 2014 and 2016, is available for the last nine T20 group matches plus any quarter-final, along with the next three Championship fixtures.

However, he will sit out tonight’s T20 game at Durham and Sunday’s T20 match at Worcestershire as New Zealand Cricket want to ensure that he is properly rested after his recent exertions in the Indian Premier League.

Williamson stood in as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad at the 11th-hour in the IPL in place of the disgraced Australian batsman David Warner, who was suspended after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Williamson led Sunrisers to the IPL final, which they lost to Chennai Super Kings, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 735 at 52.5 and playing more matches (17) than NZC had anticipated when rubber-stamping Yorkshire’s move to re-sign him.

The 27-year-old had been due to play 11 T20 group games for Yorkshire and four Championship matches, but the club are simply grateful to land a player of such proven quality after their move for a second T20 overseas player, the Australian fast bowler Billy Stanlake, was vetoed by Cricket Australia as they wanted him to play in other formats.

“It’s great to be back,” commented Williamson, who helped the club to the Championship title in 2014.

“I’ve had a couple of years where I haven’t been able to come back to play for a number of reasons, so it’s great to have the opportunity to come back for a couple of months to play for Yorkshire, which is a fantastically proud club.

“I’ve got a lot of fond memories here at Yorkshire, a lot of friendships.

“I’ve always followed the side closely from afar, and I’ve noticed that there’s a number of younger players that are coming through now who I haven’t met yet, so I’m looking forward to getting to know them and coming back to a nice environment where the cricket is always enjoyable.”

Williamson, ranked No 4 in the world in Tests, No 9 in one-day internationals and No 16 in T20 internationals, offered an insight into his humble personality when he said that he was looking forward to “learning from all the guys in the (Yorkshire) team”.

“We’ve all got a number of different experiences that we can all learn from,” he added, thereby betraying the level-headed attitude that has made a quietly-spoken man one of the world’s finest multi-format players.

Williamson’s IPL experience could be vital as Yorkshire endeavour to win the T20 trophy for the first time, having opened their campaign with a thumping home win over tonight’s opponents Durham before losing in equally convincing fashion at Birmingham Bears last Sunday.

His ability to adapt seamlessly from white-ball cricket to the more conventional demands of the Championship will be no less important, with Yorkshire’s top-order batting having struggled for consistency since 2014 and crying out for the type of long, tenacious innings that are very much a Williamson trademark.

Yorkshire squad versus Durham (6.30pm start):

Ballance, Bresnan, Brook, Brooks, Coad, Fisher, Kohler-Cadmore, Leaning, Lyth, Patterson (captain), Rafiq, Tattersall.