On the opening day of the third Test between New Zealand and England at Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand’s star cricketer Tim Southee who is playing the final Test of his career made headlines with a remarkable batting achievement.
Known primarily for his bowling prowess, Southee demonstrated his batting abilities by securing a unique milestone that etched his name in cricketing history. The bowling all-rounder surpassed the legendary Jacques Kallis to climb into the top five players with the most sixes in Test cricket.
Tim Southee’s explosive batting
During New Zealand’s first innings, Southee played a short but impactful cameo, smashing 23 runs off just 10 deliveries. His aggressive innings included three towering sixes and a boundary. While his contribution might appear modest on paper, those three sixes propelled Southee into the elite club of Test cricketers with the most sixes in their careers. With a career tally of 98 sixes, Southee overtook South African cricket legend Jacques Kallis, who has 97 sixes to his name.
Southee’s achievement also tied him with the West Indies’ former explosive opener, Chris Gayle, who similarly holds 98 sixes in Test cricket. Given that New Zealand have still one more innings to play in this Test, fans and analysts anticipate that he will soon surpass Gayle and climb even higher in the rankings. This record underlines that while Southee is renowned for his bowling, his batting abilities should not be underestimated.
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Southee’s milestone in Test cricket
Southee reached this milestone in dramatic fashion during his short but impactful innings. Facing Ben Stokes in the 79th over, he smashed a short ball cleanly over mid-wicket for his 96th six. Two balls later, he struck a flat, powerful shot over deep backward square, registering six number 97. In the next over, Southee danced down the track to a short ball from Gus Atkinson and launched it over deep mid-wicket, bringing his tally to 98 sixes in Test cricket.
His aggressive approach ultimately led to his dismissal, as he attempted another big hit but mistimed it, resulting in a high catch by Brydon Carse off Atkinson’s bowling. Southee’s entertaining knock, though brief, was met with applause from the crowd, acknowledging the milestone he achieved during his stay in the middle.