Kiwi pacer and former Test captain, Tim Southee, has decided to call time on his career. The right-arm seamer will retire on his home ground, Hamilton, after the last Test against England in December. England were the same opponent the gutsy fast bowler made his Test debut against. Taking a five-wicket haul on his debut, removing the likes of Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, the 20-year-old Southee set the tone for what would be an incredible career. He will retire as New Zealand’s second highest wicket-taker, second only to the legend himself, Richard Hadlee.
Reportedly, he has yet to decide whether he wants to continue playing white-ball cricket, however, he expressed interest in playing franchise and domestic cricket post-retirement. Announcing his retirement plans, he said,
“Representing New Zealand was all I ever dreamed of growing up. To play for the Black Caps for 18 years has been the greatest honour and privilege, but the time feels right to now step away from the game that has given so much to me.”
The 35-year-old said he was honored to play all three Tests at the venues that are special to him.
“Test cricket holds a special place in my heart, so to be able to play such a big series against the same opponent my Test career began against all those years ago, and on three grounds that are incredibly special to me, seems the perfect way to end my time in the Black Cap.”
Southee has taken the highest wickets for New Zealand across formats. In the 391 matches that he represented New Zealand, the right-arm quick grabbed 770 all-format wickets. His career-best figures of 7-33 came on an occasion as great as the pacer himself. It was an ODI World Cup 2015 game against England, and the Kiwis were on the roll, having won all of their World Cup games so far. Southee made life hell for England and used his out-swinging skills to bundle England for 123 runs.
People largely deemed the pacer as the best of his era along with his equally threatening teammate, Trent Boult. The duo along with England’s spectacular batter, Kane Williamson, are regarded as New Zealand’s golden generation players. Opening the innings for his team for the better part of the previous and the current decade, it was nothing less than a nightmare to face him with the new ball.
He had played cricket long enough to have decided that only taking wickets was too boring. So, he shifted focus on timing the balls out of the park. 93 Test sixes came off his bat, the second-highest for New Zealand. No full-time pacer even nears him in this unusual record. But thats what Tim Southee had been all his career. A little bit of this and a huge chunk of that. It has been an ‘amazing ride’ for Southee, he said. Just as it has been for the fans of the games who say him holding the ball like a brush in an artist’s hand.
“I’ll always be so grateful to my family, friends, coaches, our fans and everyone involved in the game who has supported me and my career over the years. It’s been an amazing ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
New Zealand are still in the mix to make it to the WTC final as they currently occupy the fourth position on the table. If they do reach the final, they will be without Southee.
