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Sport Nation
'A true champion': NZ greats pay tribute to Southee after Test swansong
Nick Mulvenney, AAP • December 18th, 2024 8:30 am
Photo: AAP
Tim Southee, once half of a feared new-ball partnership, has brought down the curtain on a glittering 16-year Test cricket career in New Zealand's crushing win over England.
New Zealand's all-time top wicket-taker with 776 victims across all formats, the 36-year-old retires as his country's second highest in Tests with 391 behind the great Richard Hadlee.
"Tim is a true champion, a great New Zealand cricketer and sports person," Hadlee said in a ceremony after the Black Caps beat England by 423 runs at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday, Southee's 107th and final Test.
"Tim's skill-set were admirable. The classical outswinger, the scrambled seam off-cutter are the feature of Tim's successes."
Many of Southee's wickets came in the company of his strike partner for so many years Trent Boult, who retired earlier this year, and batter Brendon McCullum, who was on hand on Tuesday as coach of England.
Tim Southee signs off in his Test cricket career for New Zealand | Sport Nation
It was against England at Napier in 2008 that Southee made his test debut as a teenager with a brilliant performance in a losing cause that marked him as a special talent.
The then 19-year-old took 5-55 in England's first innings and clubbed 77 from 40 balls with nine sixes and four boundaries in a defiant second knock.
Southee helped New Zealand to the final of the 50-over World Cup in both 2015 and 2019 and although they lost both, he did finally get his hands on a major trophy in the 2021 World Test Championship final.
He replaced Kane Williamson as Test skipper in late 2022 and oversaw six wins, six losses and two draws in his 14 games in charge before handing over the captaincy 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.
"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."
Going out a winner, an emotional Southee said he had "loved every minute" of his time in the national team.
"Look forward to watching on as a fan, and all the best boys," he said.
