Big first-inning total vital to avoid series whitewash in Indore: Williamson

Indore [Madhya Pradesh], Oct.7 (ANI): Having already lost the three-match Test series against India, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson believes a big total in the first innings of the final inconsequential match will serve as a key to avoid series whitewash against the Virat Kohli-led side. Williamson, who is hopeful to play in the final match after missing the Kolkata Test due to illness, said a big first-inning total would ensure that the second half of the match was fought on an equal footing. "It has shown in the first innings of each Test match that the first innings has been the most vital as batting has got harder as the game has gone on. We'll still need to have another look at the surface here but we are still expecting first innings to be important again," Williamson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "Those 240-250 scores need to be 300-350. In saying that we are still to see this wicket, it might be more or it might be less, we don't know just yet. But certainly the last two games if we could have pushed up our first-innings total that little bit further, it would have helped us out a huge amount," he added on the eve of the side's final Test against India in Indore. New Zealand had posted 262 and 204 in reply to India's first innings total of 318 and 316 respectively in the opening two matches and provided the hosts a lead which proved to be significant in the outcome of the game. The Williamson went to lose the two Tests by 197 runs and 178 runs. (ANI)