New Zealand pacer Tim Southee turned emotional during his retirement speech on Tuesday (December 17) in Hamilton. His final test appearance came against England and saw him pick up two wickets and score 25 runs. Meanwhile, the Kiwi side registered a dominating 423-run victory to avoid the whitewash as England won the series 2-1.
The hosts batted first and posted a 347-run total, with Mitchell Santner emerging as the best batter with a 76-run knock. In response, England were bundled out for 143, with Matt Henry picking up four wickets.
Thereafter, Kane Williamson was supreme with his series-best knock of 156, while Santner produced a quickfire knock of 49 off 38 as the Kiwi side compiled a staggering 453-run total.
Chasing a mammoth target of 658, England started on a bad note, losing both their openers early. Although, the side got a few good knocks, none of them were able to convert them into a big innings. As a result, England were all-out for 234, with Jacob Bethell (76) top-scoring for the visitors.
In his last innings, Southee dismissed Bethell and Ben Duckett, and finished with figures of 2/34 off eight overs.
In his retirement speech, Tim Southee thanked New Zealand cricket for supporting him since his debut in 2008. Furthermore, he also expressed his appreciation for his teammates and support staff, for making his international stint enjoyable.
“I’d like to thank a few people. Firstly New Zealand Cricket for everything you’ve done over the last 17 years; it’s been much appreciated.
“This group of guys (teammates) made the ride so much more enjoyable, as did all the other players I’ve played with. I’ve loved every minute. A number of the support staff as well.”
Then, Southee turned towards the stands of his home ground and thanked the fans for turning up in huge numbers for his farewell test. He now looks forward to watching New Zealand cricket prosper as a fan.
“Finally I’d like to thank the fans. It’s always great to turn out in front of numbers and this week has been really special. Thank you. I look forward to watching on (as) a fan now, and all the best boys.”
Tom Latham praises Tim Southee for his credible career
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham lauded Tim Southee’s contributions to the national side over the years. Latham also let his feelings be known about missing Southee in the dressing room, while terming him as a “great team man.” He said:
“Timmy has been a massive member of this team for such a long time. The wickets, runs and sixes speak for themselves. But as much as we’ll miss his attributes on the field, we’ll really miss him around the dressing-room. He’s a great team man and all the guys love playing with him.
“We’re leaving one of the greats behind.”
Overall, the right-arm pacer ended his test career with 391 scalps in 107 games, with best match figures of 10/108. He also scored 2,245 runs with seven fifties and 98 sixes. Interestingly, Southee ranks fifth on the list of most sixes by a batter in the longest format.
FAQs
What is Tim Southee’s top knock in test cricket?
77* off 40 in his debut test against England.
Who holds the record for picking most test wickets for New Zealand?
Richard Hadlee – 431 wickets
