Southee closes in on elite company
A majestic display of swing has Tim Southee on the cusp of adding a third bowler to New Zealand’s 300-plus ‘group’.
Southee took 4-35 in the first innings as the Black Caps dismissed the West Indies for 138 in Hamilton yesterday and then picked up another wicket as the tourists were forced to follow-on.
That left Southee 11 short of 300 test wickets – something he should accomplish this home summer with three more tests to come.
Only two Kiwis have collected more than 300 scalps in New Zealand’s 91-year test history – Sir Richard Hadlee still appears untouchable with 431 from 86 tests and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori sits a comfortable second on the ladder with 361 in 112 appearances.
‘‘It’s something that I guess when you play for long enough those things happen,’’ Southee said after stumps.
‘‘But it’ll be something special if I can get there – at the moment it’s about coming back tomorrow and getting the remaining wickets.
‘‘I think having an enforced break over winter for seven months – although it took a while to get back going – but once you get going your body hardens to cricket again and hopefully I can add some time on at the back end.’’
After being unable to break through against the West Indian openers in the late session on day two, the Black Caps attack made regular breakthroughs in both innings yesterday until a late unbroken century partnership for the seventh wicket between Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph denied the hosts a huge win in three days.
Southee, who will turn 32 on the first day of the second test in Wellington, continues to be chased hard on New Zealand’s all-time bowling list by longtime partner in crime Trent Boult.
The left-armer took two wickets yesterday to increase his test haul to 269.
Neil Wagner took his test collection of wickets to 210 by snaring two scalps in each innings on day three, giving the trio 768 test victims between them.
Newcomer Kyle Jamieson also impressed in his third test, taking three wickets yesterday and was unlucky not to grab more.
‘‘He’s been a great addition,’’ Southee said. ‘‘ At the back end of last summer he had a massive impact in those two tests against India and he’s shown again here he’s picked up where he left off with both bat and ball.
‘‘He’s added another variation – you’ve got myself and Trent, right and left-armers who swing it and Wags with his thing and then you’ve got a guy who’s an absolute giant come in and for a tall guy he hits some challenging areas.’’