Cricket

Tim Southee, a veteran New Zealand bowler, finds himself in a solitary predicament as the team prepares for the second Test against England. With just two days remaining before the match, Southee was the only player on the Hagley Oval field, running shuttles alone.This week marks a significant milestone for Southee and his teammate Kane Williamson, who will both play their 100th Tests together. However, for Southee, the occasion is tinged with a sense of pressure and introspection.New Zealand is trailing 1-0 in the two-Test series, and Southee's recent Test record has come under scrutiny. Former captain Ross Taylor has criticized Southee's performance, highlighting his lack of wickets.Southee acknowledges his struggles and is determined to improve. "I haven't got the wickets I would have liked," he said. "I still feel like there's more to it. I have probably not been where I should be as the most experienced bowler seamer in the side."Despite his recent setbacks, Southee remains confident in his abilities. He has worked with stand-in bowling coach Kyle Mills to identify areas for improvement. "I've felt okay at times," Southee said. "Sometimes you feel good and you don't get the wickets. I think it's just about trusting your game."Southee's longevity and adaptability are remarkable. He is the first bowler to play 100 internationals in each format. His desire to evolve remains strong, as evidenced by his solo training session."The desire to train, to work hard away from the game is still there," Southee said. "I still wake up every morning hoping to go out there and do people proud and put performances on the board."Southee's solitary figure on the field serves as a reminder of the pressure and expectations that come with representing his country. He and New Zealand will hope that he can rediscover his form and contribute to a successful week.

Kane Williamson, the star New Zealand batter, is set to play his 100th Test match, a milestone that has him reflecting on his journey and the surreal experience of his debut against India in 2010.Williamson, now 33, vividly recalls the awe he felt when he walked out to bat in Ahmedabad, surrounded by legendary Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman."I remember walking out and looking around the field and seeing all my heroes," Williamson said. "I used to love playing backyard cricket as a youngster, and all those guys were in that team that I would try and select.""It was Tendulkar and Laxman and Dravid, and it was kind of like, 'How am I here? I'd better start watching the ball and try and compete.'"Despite the intimidating presence of the Indian greats, Williamson made a memorable debut, scoring 131 in New Zealand's first innings. He credits that experience with shaping his approach to the game."It was quite surreal," he said. "I remember being quite eager to try and get into the opposition's dressing room and chat to some of those guys if I could."Over the past decade, Williamson has established himself as one of the world's leading batters, amassing 8675 runs at an average of 55.25, including 32 centuries and 33 fifties. He has also led New Zealand to the World Test Championship title in 2021.Reflecting on his journey, Williamson emphasized the importance of continuous learning and improvement."Then a few grey hairs later and (after) a number of different experiences over that time, there's not been many days - probably any - where I haven't tried to improve and get better as a player," he said."It's never a perfect journey. You go through so much. The format of Test cricket in particular really takes you through that. The learning - physically, (and) mentally - the reflection, (and) the memories of almost every Test that when you sit down and dissect it, there's so much that you do recall."Williamson's 100th Test match will be a special occasion for him and for New Zealand cricket. It is a testament to his longevity, skill, and dedication to the game.

New Zealand's Test captain Tim Southee has hinted at the possibility of recalling veteran fast bowler Neil Wagner for the second Test against Australia in Christchurch. The move comes after Will O'Rourke suffered a hamstring injury during the first Test in Wellington.O'Rourke left the field during the third day of the match with tightness in his left hamstring. He did not return to the field for the remainder of Australia's second innings, but he did bat on day four and was able to run between the wickets.Southee admitted that New Zealand may have made a mistake in their selection for the first Test, opting for four fast bowlers on a pitch that offered more spin than expected. Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the venue for the second Test, is traditionally more favorable for pace bowling.If O'Rourke is ruled out, New Zealand do not have a fourth seamer in their squad. Wagner retired from international cricket after being told he would not be selected for the Australia series. However, with New Zealand trailing 1-0 in the series, Southee did not rule out the possibility of recalling Wagner."We haven't had a lot of discussions as yet," Southee said. "We'll see how Will scrubs up. The physio hasn't sort of put a timeframe on it or how bad it is. We'll just wait and see how Will goes over the next couple of days. I'm sure there'll be an update in the next 24 hours."Southee ruled out the possibility of recalling Trent Boult, who has been playing only T20 cricket in recent times. He also defended the performance of Scott Kuggeleijn, who took two wickets in the first innings but conceded 75 runs in 20 overs.Southee identified Cameron Green's 174 not out and his 116-run 10th-wicket stand with Josh Hazlewood on the second morning as the turning point in the match. He conceded that New Zealand's strategy against Green was flawed."I think we probably could have tried to get Green out on that second morning," he said. "I think the way he played that that night before, we thought he was probably going to come out and play some shots. But we probably could look to get him out and on that second morning and make things slightly easier than what we did."