Fast quiz query for you.
Who, within the historical past of Take a look at cricket, has hit probably the most sixes with out scoring a century?
Effectively accomplished to these of you who stated Tim Southee (though contemplating this text is concerning the retiring New Zealander, then it’s not precisely the wildest stab at the hours of darkness).
Southee has cleared the ropes 95 instances in his Take a look at profession however by no means cleared three figures.
His greatest innings stays the 77 not out from 40 balls he smoked on debut towards England in Napier in 2008 on the age of 19 – a stunning knock that included 9 sixes.
Southee’s Take a look at tenure will finish because it started, at dwelling to England, with the bowler to bow out at his dwelling floor of Seddon Park in Hamilton, bringing the curtain down on 16 years on the high.
He might fancy signing off with a century of sixes or, in a dream world, a century full cease. The best way issues have panned out for New Zealand with the bat on this sequence he’s more likely to get two goes.
Proper time for Southee to bow out?
Bowling, after all, is Southee’s strongest go well with.
Just one New Zealander, the nice Sir Richard Hadlee, has greater than his 389 Take a look at wickets and no New Zealander has greater than his 774 worldwide wickets. Solely 9 males from anyplace have eclipsed that second quantity.
However now feels the proper time for Southee to say goodbye.
Southee is averaging over 60 with the ball in Take a look at cricket in 2024
His 15 wickets in 10 Exams in 2024 have come at a median of 61.66 and he has not claimed greater than two wickets in an innings since March 2023.
His tempo is down and England have taken him down, along with his sequence stats studying a grim 4-246 throughout 49 overs, at a median of 61.50 and strike-rate of 73.50.
There was some sizzle with the brand new ball at instances however Southee has largely been ineffective. That has led to chatter that he has gone on too lengthy. There has even been hypothesis that he might not get a Hamilton farewell.
We wish to do what’s proper and ship Tim off in fashion. It is fairly particular to be celebrating somebody like Tim, who’s definitely an amazing of Take a look at cricket. His ability stage may be very excessive. He is an amazing man to have round, a superb storyteller, by no means shy with a sensible joke. He’ll be missed.
But, with the sequence not on the road – England are 2-0 up with one to play – and New Zealand’s hopes of reaching subsequent yr’s World Take a look at Championship ultimate at Lord’s just about non-existent, the percentages are that he will get one ultimate fixture earlier than William O’Rourke, Nathan Smith and, if they will ever get him match once more, Kyle Jamieson lead the Black Caps’ bowling assault going ahead.
Southee’s dwindling numbers mustn’t detract from how nice he has been for over a decade and a half, producing out-swing, primarily, but in addition mastering the artwork of the off-cutter.
He, and long-time bowling comrade Trent Boult (317 wickets in 78 Exams), are most likely unlucky to have been round in the identical period as England’s James Anderson and Stuart Broad, which means their affect on the sport might generally be missed.
Solely Sir Richard Hadlee has extra Take a look at wickets for New Zealand than Southee (pictured)
Southee there for New Zealand’s biggest triumphs
It should by no means be missed by New Zealand, thoughts you.
Southee was there when the Kiwis gained the World Take a look at Championship in Southampton in 2021, taking 4 second-innings wickets – and hitting two sixes in his sole knock with the bat – as his facet beat India. And he was there for the current 3-0 win in India, too, as New Zealand grew to become the primary group since England in 2012 to defeat that cricketing juggernaut on their dwelling turf.
Whereas not at his classic greatest on the subcontinent, Southee kickstarted the clear sweep.
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New Zealand handed India a primary Take a look at sequence defeat at dwelling in 12 years earlier than happening to safe a 3-0 sweep
He eliminated India captain Rohit Sharma within the first Take a look at as India have been rolled for simply 46, then thumped 4 sixes in his 65 not out from 73 balls as New Zealand replied with 402 all out.
Then, within the second Take a look at, he bowled Rohit with a crackerjack supply earlier than an athletic seize at long-on, to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja, clinched the sequence victory and arguably the best consequence within the historical past of New Zealand males’s cricket, lower than per week after the ladies achieved theirs by profitable the T20 World Cup.
Southee helps start England revolution
Southee has additionally had a profound affect on English cricket.
After his 7-33 within the 2015 50-over World Cup skittled a feeble England for 123 – and Brendon McCullum subsequently powered the Black Caps previous that whole in simply 12.2 overs – a white-ball revolution was sparked, with Eoin Morgan’s facet going from chumps to champs in 4 years.
Southee took seven wickets as New Zealand demolished England within the 2015 Cricket World Cup
That England resurgence in the end price New Zealand, with the Kiwis pipped on boundary countback within the 2019 World Cup ultimate at Lord’s after the nations completed all sq. within the regulation 50 overs in addition to the Tremendous Over that adopted. Barest of margins certainly.
Southee was solely a substitute fielder for New Zealand in that recreation however contemplating how a lot he loves a boundary, possibly he would have been helpful within the XI.
And contemplating how a lot he loves a boundary, possibly his one remorse in his Take a look at profession shall be that he by no means grew to become that fully-fledged all-rounder he threatened to evolve into. Seven half-centuries and a batting common of 15.52 appear a little bit of an injustice.
A fresh-faced Southee warms up forward of a New Zealand match in 2008
It does, although, imply he stays the reply to that quiz query posed initially of this text and no matter occurs at Hamilton in his ultimate Take a look at, Southee’s bowling exploits imply he’ll all the time stay an amazing of New Zealand cricket and the sport as a complete.
