Tim Southee has played 92 tests in a 15-year career, winning twice by single digits and claiming a world championship. For the skipper, nothing topped today.
“It’s hard to go past being only the fourth team to win a test match after being asked to follow-on,” Southee said when askedto rank the Black Caps’ astonishing one-run triumph over England at the Basin Reserve.
“We’ve had a number of close wins - I think back to the UAE where we won by four runs [against Pakistan] - and there have been a number of amazing games that I’ve been a part of.
Tim Southee and Neil Wagner enjoy victory in the dressing room. Photo / photosport.nz
“But just the sheer nature of being asked to follow-on, and the guys taking it in their stride and giving it a shot for the last three days and managing to come out on top, I imagine it’ll be a test match that’ll be talked about for a long time.”
That assessment was as accurate as the barrage of short-pitched bowling Neil Wagner unleashed to lift his side to victory.
This test, as Southee boasted, was the fourth in 2494 matches to feature a side climbing back from the near-fatal blow of following on. The captain pinpointed what happened immediately after Ben Stokes made that decision as the turning point in the contest.
Before Wagner’s wonder spell, before four early wickets turned the test on day five and before Kane Williamson struck another ton, the 149-run opening platform built by Tom Latham and Devon Conway revived a Black Caps side on life support.
“When you’re put back in, losing early wickets is the last thing you want,” Southee said. “The way the openers went about it and were able to deny a quality bowling attack - and just wear them down - allowed the guys after that to come out and play the way they did.
“There were times [today] where it felt like it was going to happen quickly; there were times when Ben and Joe [Root] were batting where it probably wasn’t far away from them taking it away.
“The character that was shown from the guys over the last three days - and from all the guys as well, different guys stepping up at different times - it was a true team effort.”
Brendon McCullum knew a bit about leading those for New Zealand. The England coach couldn’t hide his smile when congratulating Southee immediately after the match, and the identity of the opponents only added to the occasion.
Ben Stokes and Tim Southee shake hands at the end of play. Photo / photosport.nz
Not owing just to the coach but the relationship shared by the players, a conviviality seen when they later came together in the middle of a deserted Basin Reserve to share a beer, a yarn and a game of keepie-uppie.
“It’s the style that both sides like to play with - we like to play with a smile on our face,” Southee said. “It’s a side we always enjoy playing against, it’s always played in pretty good spirits, and both sides just looked to take the game on.”
That mantra has marked the McCullum and Stokes era. Although an attacking declaration went against recent cricketing trends, Stokes was hardly about to second-guess his decision.
Despite being beaten for only the second time to sit alongside 10 wins since captain linked with coach, Stokes was too busy relishing the moment.
“It was crazy - you just didn’t know what to do with yourself,” he said. “But you look back on that test match - even in our dressing room and being on the losing side - and be quite thankful you’ve been involved in that. Because test matches like that don’t come around that often.”
