Veteran New Zealand player Tim Southee will retire from Test cricket at his home ground, Seddon Park in Hamilton, against England. New Zealand's leading wicket-taker in international cricket, Southee will play for the country should they qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final next June as well.

"Representing New Zealand was all I ever dreamed of growing up," Southee said. "To play for the BlackCaps 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. 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."

However, Tim Southee made headlines with his 17-wicket campaign at the U19 World Cup in 2008, at an average of just six, to be named the Player of the Tournament. In his 18-year career since, Southee led New Zealand's bowling attack across formats, appearing in four ODI World Cups, seven T20 World Cups, two Champions Trophy tournaments, and a WTC Final where he picked up a fifer at Southampton as well.

New Zealand's second-highest wicket-taker of all time in Tests, Southee has picked up 385 Test wickets in 104 matches so far, and is the only player in the world to claim more than 300 Test scalps, 200 in ODIs and 100 in T20Is as well. Moreover, Southee played an important all-round role in New Zealand's historic 3-0 whitewash of India in India - a feat that happened for the first time by a visiting team since the 2012-13 season.

"Tim has been a constant in the improving fortunes of the BlackCaps" - Scott Weenink

Meanwhile, NZC chief executive Scott Weenink referred to Southee as one of New Zealand's greatest, crediting him for the team's Test success over the past few years.

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"Tim has been a constant in the improving fortunes of the BlackCaps and he'll be remembered as a giant of the modern New Zealand game," he said. "From the moment he exploded on to the Test scene against England in Napier eighteen summers ago, he's given his heart and soul to playing for New Zealand and has helped the team achieve some unthinkable results."

"There's already unprecedented interest in this England Test tour and I'm sure the chance to farewell one of our all-time greats will only further drive the anticipation and hype for this series. Tim has an incredible bank of experience and knowledge of the game and while he may have called time on his playing career, I'd be surprised if we don't see him in another capacity at some stage in the future."

"Tim's durability and resilience has been outstanding" - Gary Stead

The team's head coach Gary Stead also applauded Tim Southee for his contributions to New Zealand as well.

"Tim's durability and resilience has been outstanding," Stead said. "He's an incredibly tough competitor who gets himself up for big occasions and is rarely injured. Tim cares deeply about the team, its reputation and performances, and he will be missed within the BlackCaps environment. He now deserves some time with his family and I'm sure he will reflect very positively in years to come about his impact and achievements in the game."

New Zealand captain Tim Southee has confirmed that Wellington seamer Ben Sears will make his Test debut in the second Test against Australia, which is all set to start on Friday (March 8) in Christchurch. The 26-year-old speedster will come in to replace Will O’Rourke, who was ruled out after sustaining a hamstring injury in New Zealand’s 172-run defeat in the opening Test as well.

“He’s got something about him” – Tim Southee on Ben Sears

“Offers real pace. We saw him clock 150 (kmh) earlier in the summer in a T20 against Bangladesh, so excited to see what he’s got at test level,” Tim Southee said on the eve of the Test. “He’s a tall fella. He’s got pace, he’s got something about him. Obviously the job Will O’Rourke did in the couple of test matches he played… again another tall guy with a bit of pace and skill about him, so excited to see what Ben has got.”

However, Southee didn’t confirm whether this will be the only change for them as well. Notably, New Zealand decided to play an extra seamer in Scott Kuggeleijn on a green-looking track in Wellington and dropped left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner. The decision backfired as the pitch helped Nathan Lyon, who became the first spinner since Muttiah Muralitharan in 2006 to claim a 10-wicket match haul in New Zealand.

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While conditions at the Hagley Oval have helped the pace bowlers, Kuggeleijn wasn’t helpful enough at Wellington and took 2 for 87 in the first innings. Meanwhile, New Zealand captain, Tim Southee who will become the first pace bowler to feature in 100 games in each of the three international formats this week, has claimed just four wickets from his three Tests this year which came at an average of 80.25.

“You always want to be performing at your best and I think there’s no hiding from the fact that the currency we deal in as a bowler is wickets, and the last three Test matches I haven’t got the wickets I would have liked,” he said.

“I still feel like there’s more to it” – Tim Southee

“I still feel like there’s more to it. There’s roles within that as well. I have probably not been where I should be as the most experienced bowler of the side. But like everyone, each week you’re trying to get better. Each week you’re trying to go out and put your best foot forward. Prepare as well as you can to give yourself the best chance and that’s the same over the last couple of days. I’ve done that.”

“I’ve felt okay at times. Sometimes you feel good and you don’t get the wickets. Sometimes you feel not so good and you actually pick up a few wickets. So I think it’s just about trusting your game. Trusting what you do. But there’s no hiding from the fact that the last couple of Test matches have been disappointing. I know that. I’d always like more wickets. And hopefully, there’s some to come,” he concluded.

New Zealand player Tim Southee practised alone in the middle of Hagley Oval on Wednesday whereas other New Zealand players trained in the nets out the back. However, both Tim Southee and his mate Kane Williamson are all set to play their 100th Tests together. But for Southee, it doesn’t feel as celebratory as it does for Williamson as well.

However, New Zealand are under pressure, as they are 1-0 down in the two-match Test series, and former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor has criticised Southee and the team as well. Although it has not been as sharp or as pointed towards someone in the media have suggested. But Tim Southee is well aware of his recent Test records.

“You always want to be performing at your best and I think there’s no hiding from the fact that the currency we deal in as a bowler is wickets, and the last three Test matches I haven’t got the wickets I would have liked,” Tim Southee said on Thursday.

“I’d always like more wickets” – Tim Southee

“I still feel like there’s more to it. There’s roles within that as well. I have probably not been where I should be as the most experienced bowler seamer the side. But like everyone, each week you’re trying to get better. Each week you’re trying to go out and put your best foot forward. Prepare as well as you can to give yourself the best chance and that’s the same over the last couple of days. I’ve done that.”

“But there’s no hiding from the fact that the last couple of Test matches have been disappointing. I know that. I’d always like more wickets. And hopefully, there’s some to come,” he further added.

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However, Tim Southee didn’t opt to bowl in the nets on Wednesday and ahead of his solo running session, he worked hard on his own on a practice pitch in the centre under the guidance of stand-in bowling coach Kyle Mills as well. And, Southee was hopeful about his recent bowling efforts, but he also said that he and Mills had identified a couple of areas to improve as well.

“I’ve felt okay at times,” Southee said. “Sometimes you feel good and you don’t get the wickets. Sometimes you feel not so good and you actually pick up a few wickets. So I think it’s just about trusting your game. Trusting what you do. I’ve worked hard over the last couple of days alongside Kyle Mills on a couple of things. So it’d be great to finish the season strong. Just a couple of minor things that we’ve been looking at over the last couple of days. You don’t always get the wickets you feel like you should but hopefully I can contribute to what should be a good week.”

“I think no one’s getting any younger” Tim Southee

He also becomes the first bowler to play 100 international matches in each format this week. It is a remarkable achievement. He has shown an amazing ability to adapt and played across 16 years at the top of the game. He also shared that his desire to evolve is still there as well.

“I think no one’s getting any younger,” Tim Southee concluded. “But the desire to train, to work hard away from the game is still there. It’s an absolute honour to do what we do and represent our country and I still love that. I still wake up every morning hoping to go out there and do people proud and put performances on the board. So as long as that’s still there and you can come live to those standards then…”

Three cricketers have made it to a hundred games each in all three formats. Tim Southee now joins David Warner, Ross Taylor, and Virat Kohli on the list. The significant aspect, though, is that he is the first fast bowler and could well be the last to get here.

His teammate, Kane Williamson, is getting to his 100th Test as well in the upcoming game. If Williamson, though, is the sponge of the side, Tim Southee will go down as an omnipresent member. Tim Southee displaying such levels of longevity is certainly an extraordinary feat for someone who generally minds his own business and stays away from doing the extraordinary.

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While many talk about the longevity of James Anderson, Tim Southee, who is five years younger, has the potential to make it to similar discussions. He has played alongside Stephen Fleming, who started his career in 1994, and is around while Will O Rourke makes his Test debut. Starting with a Test five that contained the wickets of Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pieterson, Tim Southee has come a very long way.

His success at home, though, was followed by early challenges away. While Southee had some support in Australia when the ball swung he had his struggles on the flatter or bouncier tracks. Not the fastest, Tim Southee, along with Trent Boult went on for a long time asking batters simple but tricky questions.

Maintaining a nagging length while getting incredible swing is where the duo succeeded. Trent Boult unfortunately went on another past, leaving Tim Southee on his own with his journey to a hundred Tests. His success with swing, though, is not only within New Zealand and England. Tim Southee has had his success in India as well, with a seven-wicket haul at Bangalore.

He, along with his double act, Trent Boult, who is always mentioned with Southee, found ways to extract reverse swing as they grew in experience. Two days away from his 100th Test, though questions are being asked. With Southee only managing ten wickets in his last eight innings, the concerns are growing. For now, though, Tim Southee will go down as the first fast bowler to play a hundred games each across three formats.

New Zealand is poised to commence their World Test Championship cycle with a two-Test series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh starting on November 28, and Captain Tim Southee foresees spin playing a significant role. Although New Zealand, renowned for thriving in pace-friendly conditions at home, has not played a Test in Bangladesh since 2013, their full-strength squad, bolstered by spin specialists like Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel, is well-prepared for the challenge.

The squad also includes spinners Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, with Santner and Ravindra returning to the Test side after gaps since 2021 and early 2022, respectively. Southee expresses confidence in his spin attack, anticipating their success against a Bangladesh side without key batters Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das.

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Return of Spin: Southee Anticipates Subcontinent Challenge in Bangladesh Tests

In the absence of Shakib and Litton, New Zealand’s formidable lineup, featuring Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, and Devon Conway, aims to confront Bangladesh’s spinners, including Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Southee acknowledges the absence of Shakib and Litton but believes it provides an opportunity for others to step into those roles.

Southee expects a competitive showing from Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, even without key players like Shakib, Litton, Ebadot Hossain, and Taskin Ahmed. The first Test is scheduled for November 28 in Sylhet, followed by the second in Dhaka on December 6.

Test Squads:
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shahadat Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Mominul Haque, Hasan Murad, Nayeem Hasan

New Zealand: Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Neil Wagner

The World Cup hype is growing with each passing day. Each World Cup holds a special memory for every cricketer and Tim Southee is no different. For him though, World Cup Cricket serves as a memory of where he stood in his career with each passing tournament. At 22 he played in his first World Cup in 2011. His international career was three years old and his partnership with Trent Boult had reached full flow yet.

A raw Southee though impressed straightaway with 18 wickets in his first World Cup, in the subcontinent where conditions are not as favourable. He was their best bowler in the Semi-Finals where they lost to Sri Lanka but made a mark as one of their two best bowlers for the next decade.

In his second World Cup, the Trent Boult-Tim Southee pair was clearly leading the pack and he was at the peak of his powers. Tim Southee, with swinging conditions around, was unplayable. He blew teams away, and was clinical against England in particular taking seven wickets in a game to highlight his dominance in one of the best spells in World Cup Cricket. After 2015 though Tim Southee had a drop in white-ball form. He went from one of their best bowlers to a questionable choice, particularly in T20s.

There were calls briefly to try other bowlers with Tim Southee just hanging in. The rise of Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson gave New Zealand more variety in their attack as they found another new-ball bowler and a bowler who could rattle batters with raw pace. By the 2019 World Cup, Tim Southee was not a sure starter. He was more a horses for courses pick, coming in when conditions were helpful or in case of an injury to one of the other bowlers.

As a result, in 2019, Tim Southee only played one game, which did not go so well for him. Leading up to 2023 he now comes back to the sight of his first World Cup. With three heart-breaks and a dip in form in between, Tim Southee comes back a seasoned campaigner, with the stomach to fight, and with the potential of leading the side in Kane Williamson’s absence.

In the 12-year period between his first World Cup and now, Tim Southee has added a lot of new weapons to his armory. Focusing largely on outswing, Tim Southee was a great exponent of Reverse Swing as well. With swing disappearing in white-ball Cricket though, Tim Southee had to find other ways to stay relevant.

He started using the crease more and also added the inswinger to his arsenal. His inswinger, hidden well in his action, fetched a change in results along with the cutters and knuckleballs. His accuracy is another thing that he has worked on which has allowed Tim Southee to hit the uncomfortable spot for batters frequently.

His experience in Asia has been a factor as well. Southee was a part of the IPL for nearly ten years and has visited India for a handful of tours and multi-national events, touring India 6 times in total. Last time India hosted the T20 World Cup though, Southee stayed on the sidelines with New Zealand turning to raw pace.

Southee now comes as captain and has been New Zealand’s best white-ball bowler in recent times. He warmed up well with a strong performance against UAE and Southee will now reunite with Trent Boult, who returns to the national set-up after nearly a year. With Boult returning and New Zealand having a growing variety of fast bowlers selection will be tough, but Tim Southee has made it very hard to ignore him as he continues to evolve.

Tim Southee, the captain of New Zealand, said on Tuesday that the third and final T20I against India, which ended in a tie because of rain, would have been interesting and could have gone either way if both teams had batted for all of the overs. Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj (4/17) and Arshdeep Singh (4/37) produced sensational bowling performances after New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first.

They took four wickets each to bowl out the Black Caps for 160, despite fighting half-centuries by Devon Conway (59 off 49) and Glenn Phillips (54 off 33). India were chasing 161 to win and were at 21/3 in 2.5 overs. However, Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten knock included three boundaries and a six, and he and Deepak Hooda (9 not out off 9) brought India to 75/4 in 9 overs when play was stopped by rain. 

DLS says that India would have won with a score of 76 after 9 overs, but they ended up with 75, which was the par score. The match could not be continued because of the persistent rain that was falling on McLean Park. In the end, it ended in a tie, and India won the three-match series 1-0 thanks to their 65-run victory in the second game on Sunday in Mount Maunganui. At Wellington, the first match between the two teams ended without a ball being bowled. The Kiwi pacer, who is 33 years old, acknowledged that his team could have performed better with the bat, but praised the bowlers for taking three wickets quickly.

“It was disappointing even with the bat. We spoke about getting out there and giving everything we could and taking early wickets. We knew if we could get those wickets, anything could happen, but unfortunately, the weather came in,”

said Southee, who claimed 2 for 27 in his three overs, in the post-match presentation.

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“You don’t know until both sides batted on it, it would have been an interesting game but it hasn’t gone to full tilt. A little bit of uncertainty around the scoreboard (about) whether it was a tie when the rain came in. Could have gone either way, the way we attacked with the ball and to put them under pressure was pleasing,”

he added.

With the T20I series coming to an end, Southee is now looking forward to the ODI series, starting on November 25.

“Nice to be back in some ODI cricket against a quality side like India. Hoping for a good crowd in Auckland,”

he said.

New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has said that taking wickets in the morning session on Day Two of the first Test against India was the best pain killer for the injury he suffered on an opening day. He also expressed happiness over openers Will Young and Tom Latham doing well with the bat, stitching a stand of 129 runs. Southee was the star of Day Two for New Zealand, picking four wickets on a slow pitch on Friday to end with figures of 5/69, bagging his 13th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was a big turnaround for the veteran pacer, who had to go off the field due to a groin complaint in the second session on Day One.

“I felt something pretty tight in the groin area and was trying to make sure it wasn’t going to be anything hell lot worse. Very assuring to know that wasn’t muscular, it was more on the tendon. Having played a lot of cricket, you get to play through some sort of stiffness or soreness. Had a bit of physio last night and with some painkillers, was able to play through a little bit of pain. I think the best pain killer is wickets, so that sort of numbed the pain a little bit this morning,” said Southee in the virtual press conference after Day Two.

Talking about what worked for him while running through the rest of India batting order, Southee put it down to varying lengths and extensive planning. “I guess lengths wary in different conditions You try to assess that as quickly as you possibly can. I think with the new ball, just hitting that length this morning was key. We did a lot of planning for India this series in ways to get a batsman out. There was a little bit of reverse at times. It’s just about asking tough questions for a long period of time.” The 32-year-old gave credit to his previous trips to the country for doing well on Friday.

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“I think any wicket you take is always special. It’s always nice to do well in this part of the world, where spin plays a massive role. As a seamer, it is always nice to do well in such conditions. I was fortunate to come to this part of the world as a youngster and learned a lot from those trips early on in my career.” “The hunger to get better each time you go out there and represent your country and looking at different ways to learn and get better throughout as well has helped.

I guess the main skill to beat the Indian side is swinging with the new ball and training a lot with the older ball in order to be a threat with it and looking at ways to find wickets in sub-continent conditions that are so foreign to home conditions.” Southee was in praise of how day two went in their favor, adding that the tourists will look to play session by session on Saturday. “I think it was a great day for us. We knew we had to make early inroads with the new ball against two guys who were set and playing nicely. It was nice to take wickets early in the morning and create a few chances.

Overall, it was a pretty solid performance after being asked to bowl first. Then our openers who have gone out and played have been exceptional. I think we have been used to Tom Latham being solid at the top of the order but for someone like Will Young, who hasn’t played any cricket since the World Test Championship final, to go out the way he has played, has been great to watch as well.”

“We won’t look too far ahead and will take it a session at a time. It’s nice to be in a position where we are in but there’s a lot of hard work as India is a quality side and their bowlers are quality in these conditions. We will have to be on top of our game tomorrow and take it session by session.”