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NEW DELHI: After New Zealand crushed England for a consolation victory in Hamilton on Tuesday, Tim Southee, who was once half of the most feared new-ball tandem in the game, ended a dazzling 16-year Test career.
The 36-year-old retires as New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests (391), behind the legendary Richard Hadlee, and the country’s all-time top wicket-taker (776 victims) across all formats.
“Tim is a true champion, a great New Zealand cricketer and sports person,” Hadlee said in a ceremony after the match at Seddon Park on Tuesday to mark Southee’s 107th and final Test.
“Tim’s skill-set were admirable,” he added. “The classical outswinger, the scrambled seam off-cutter are the feature of Tim’s successes.
“It would have been only fitting that Tim could have ended his career if he had reached the 400 Test wicket mark. In my opinion, he deserved that.”
Trent Boult, Southee’s longtime strike partner who retired earlier this year, and batter Brendon McCullum, who was present on Tuesday as England’s coach, shared many of Southee’s wickets.
Southee made his Test debut as a youngster against England at Napier in 2008, and his outstanding performance in a losing cause stood him as a unique talent.
In England’s opening innings, the 19-year-old grabbed five wickets for fifty-five. In a bold second innings knock, he hit 77 off forty balls, including nine sixes and four boundaries.
Even though he ended up falling two runs short of his target of 100 career Test sixes after holing out for two runs in his final innings on Monday, his powerful tail-end batting was always a staple of his game.
New Zealand cricket fans will remember him most for having his tail up, a new ball in hand, and swing-friendly conditions.
Southee finally held a major trophy in the 2021 World Test Championship final, despite the fact that New Zealand lost both the 2015 and 2019 50-overs World Cup finals he helped them reach.
In late 2022, he took over as Test captain from Kane Williamson. During his 14 Tests in leadership, he managed six victories, six defeats, and two draws before handing the reins over to Tom Latham in October.
“He’s just an outstanding servant of the game and just a huge player for us over the years,” Williamson said on Monday.
“Not just on the field, those achievements are there for everybody to see, but his leadership and how he carried himself throughout his Test career.
“It’s been a big part of why this team’s been in a pretty strong place for some time, and he’s been through all of that.”
This kind of consideration made sure that Southee would get the farewell he desired in the third Test match against England at his home stadium, where he played provincial cricket for Northern Districts, even though his bowling output was declining.
“This group of guys made the ride so much more enjoyable. I’ve loved every minute,” an emotional Southee said on Tuesday.
“Look forward to watching on as a fan, and all the best boys.”
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