Zoolander, Williamson won't turn left

New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson has put to bed any suggestions he will take up bowling with his left arm after the part-time off-spinner was banned by the ICC in July from bowling in international cricket.

In a radio interview last month in New Zealand, Williamson raised the possibility of changing arms as a solution to the ban he received for bowling with an illegal action.

“You know, I’ll certainly be trying as much as I can (to return to bowling),” he reportedly told Radio Sport. “Whether that’s trying to do it with the other arm, that would be an interesting process but I’ll certainly be giving it a crack.”

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Speaking with cricket.com.au however, Williamson claimed he couldn’t recall making any such suggestion.

“I don’t think I ever said that – I can’t imagine that,” he said. “I honestly don’t really know where it came from, and it kind of seems to have just escalated from nowhere.

“It’s not a serious option – everyone has a left arm and when you put a ball in it, something happens, but it’s not very special, that’s for sure.

“I’m working on my right arm, trying to get that straight, so I can bowl again.

“There’s obviously a new directive there from the ICC, and (it’s) a good one.

“There’s been people, like myself, who have been bowling and exceeding the degree that you’re allowed.

“So I think it’s a good thing, and I’m sure I’m like the rest of the blokes who have been told they’re not allowed to bowl – I’ll be working on it hard trying to get back and bowling within the 15 degrees.

“For me, I don’t bowl a lot, but it is something that brings a little bit of balance to the team and it’d be nice to get it going again.”

Quick Single: Williamson banned from bowling

The confirmation from Williamson comes on the back of Black Caps coach Mike Hesson telling stuff.co.nz that the comment may have been tongue-in-cheek following the 24-year-old bowling a few left-armers at the conclusion of a training session.

"I'm sure you've seen him in one-day internationals – he throws it in from the boundary with his left arm,” Hesson said.

“He's ambidextrous, but he's not our next Dan Vettori."

Williamson, ranked 13th in the world with the bat in both Tests and ODIs, has scored three Test hundreds in five matches this year, and made five consecutive half-centuries against India in New Zealand’s most recent ODI series, won four-nil by the Black Caps.

“I think a lot of credit has to go to the team’s culture – everyone’s always trying to improve and contribute to the team as much as they can, so that’s been a really good, positive move for our unit,” he said.

“We built up some good momentum at home so it’s nice to be having a tournament like the World Cup coming up where we’re sharing that home ground advantage with Australia.”