Taylor-made motivation
Tim Southee would much rather have spoken about his 100th test, than about barbs from former team-mate Ross Taylor on a podcast.
That was what the Black Caps test skipper dealt with in a colourful press conference at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval yesterday on the eve of the second test against Australia.
Southee and batting maestro Kane Williamson will be the centre of attention on day one today as they become just the fifth and sixth Black Caps to reach the 100-test milestone.
Some of the gloss was taken away from the duo after retired Black Caps great Taylor popped up on ESPN’s Around The Wicket podcast.
Usually reserved in his analysis, Taylor stirred the pot and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He described Neil Wagner’s sudden departure from test cricket as a “forced retirement”, but also opined on the Black Caps’ team environment, and Southee’s captaincy and batting.
Taylor was critical of Southee’s reckless batting in the second innings of the first test, where he meekly holed out to long-on off Nathan Lyon.
“When you’re captain you have to look your team in the eye. We didn’t bat very well as a team. When you play a shot like that, it’s hard to look the team in the eye and tell them off,” Taylor said.
He even went as far as to say Southee was more concerned about breaking Brendon McCullum’s mark of 107 sixes in test cricket. Southee has whacked 87 sixes in 99 tests, putting him eighth on the all-time test list.
“He’s entitled to his opinion, everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Southee said.
“All I’m worried about and all I have been worried about is the guys in the changing room. We’re the ones that have got to go out there and do the work.”
Southee hadn’t had much to do with Taylor since the latter retired from international cricket in April 2022, but respected him as a Black Caps great.
Asked whether he was more focused on overtaking McCullum on the six-hitting list than taking wickets and winning tests, Southee chuckled.
While his dismissal was poor, Southee has always been known for his aggressive batting style. “Certainly it’s not at the top of my mind. I’m obviously in the team as a bowler, batting No 10, [there’s] not too many batting records I’m after,” he said.
Southee and his team-mates would never admit it publicly, but Taylor’s comments will have fired them up.
“He knows what it’s like to be inside those four walls. He was in there for 112 test matches, so it’s a little bit disappointing, but in saying that, there’s full belief within those four walls that we can get the job done over the next five days,” Southee said.
Taylor rant aside, the Black Caps must be better in all areas in Christchurch if they are to push a confident Australian side, or even think about beating them.
Failing to reach 200 with the bat, as they did both times in Wellington, simply won’t get the job done.
They can ill-afford to give Australia a sniff if they are in a position of power, as they did in the first test. New Zealand badly let themselves down after having Australia 211-7 in the first innings.
Australia went on to post a well-abovepar total of 383, with century-maker Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood adding 116 for the 10th wicket, which was a huge turning point in the match.
Australia captain Pat Cummins didn’t want to get drawn into Taylor’s comments, uttering “not many thoughts” when quizzed. He did pay tribute to Southee and Williamson’s 100th-test milestone.
Australia are unchanged from the first test, while Wellington quick Ben Sears will make his test debut for New Zealand. The Black Caps had yet to decide on the last spot in the XI, with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and seamer Scott Kuggeleijn battling it out.