New Zealand captain Tim Southee is, without a doubt, one of the greatest bowlers produced by Kiwis, but a big overlooked fact is that he can bat as well. He has 1898 runs in 92 Tests with a strike rate of 81.66 and he recently equaled MS Dhoni in the list for most sixes in Test cricket-78.
He achieved this feat on day two of the second Test between New Zealand and England being played at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, where the hosts are struggling to avoid a series sweep against a dominant visiting side.
England had declared their first innings on 435/8 with Harry Brook making 186 and Ben Stokes only declared the innings after Joe Root, who was 101 overnight, reached 153*. Matt Henry had picked 4/100 and Michael Bracewell took two wickets.
Then James Anderson got to work as he removed Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, and Will Young for single-digit scores, while Jack Leach (3/45) picked three scalps as well.
Tim Southee Hits 78 Sixes In Tests, Equals MS Dhoni’s Record And Nears Sir Viv Richards And Kevin Pietersen
Tim Southee is renowned for being a valuable big hitter in the lower order, and on Saturday, he hammered two sixes while scoring 23 off 18 balls without being dismissed. This brought his total for his Test cricket career to 78, placing him on par with Dhoni and just behind players like Kevin Pietersen and Matthew Hayden.
In fact, Southee will eclipse West Indies legend Viv Richards’ record if he knocks six more maximums.
In Test cricket, Southee is New Zealand’s third-best sixer after McCullum and former all-rounder Chris Cairns, who both have 87 sixes. The record for most sixes in Tests is held by Ben Stokes, who broke Brendon McCullum’s record of 107 sixes in the first Test of the series and now has 109 maximums to his name. Adam Gilchrist also hit 100 sixes in Tests.
Southee also became the first New Zealand bowler to reach 700 international wickets on Day 2 of the second Test.