Christchurch, Mar 8 (IANS): New Zealand's senior batter and former captain Kane Williamson will arrive late to join the team ahead of Thursday's first cricket Test against Sri Lanka because of the death of his grandmother.

Joan Williamson-Orr, a former mayor of Taupo, died on Thursday, aged 92. She had 20 grandchildren including Williamson and Dane Cleaver who made his Black Caps debut against Ireland in a T20 international last year.

Speaking two days ahead of the two-Test series opener at Hagley Oval, captain Tim Southee said Williamson had remained at home in Tauranga.

"On behalf of the team, I think everyone is feeling for Kane at the moment and he is in the best place he can be. And that is with, in and around, his family. It is a sad time for the Williamson family," Southee ws quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz in a report.

"We are looking forward to Kane joining up. He has been able to train with the ND guys in Tauranga, so I am sure he will be hitting plenty of balls and making sure he is ready to go come Thursday."

Williamson was the top performer for New Zealand in their stunning one-run win over England last week, scoring 132 in their second innings and becoming h's country's record test runscorer.

That made the Black Caps just the fourth team in history to win a Test after being asked to follow on in Wellington.

Now the team is hoping to continue with the same level of performance against Sri Lanka.