5 reasons why Tim Southee can become a world-class all-rounder
Tim Southee is one of the best among New Zealand’s current crop of fast bowlers and is pretty much a regular in the national team across all formats. Although he started off as a talented yet erratic pacer in the late 2000s, Southee improved as the years rolled on to become a reliable figure in the Kiwi ranks.
Apart from being a quality seam bowler, the 27-year old can also make a useful contribution with the bat, even though he is highly underrated as a batsman. In the 1st ODI of the ongoing series against India, Southee smashed a 45-ball 55 to lend some respectability to New Zealand’s score after they had been reduced to 106 for 8 by the home side.
However, he is still not recognised as an all-rounder perhaps because his numbers with the bat do not match his true ability. Here are 5 reasons why Tim Southee can still go on to become a world-class all-rounder:
#1 Ability to change the course of a match
In the current series between India and New Zealand, there have been at least three occasions when Tim Southee has displayed his ability to change the course of the match. The first ODI at Dharamsala saw the Kiwi bowler play a scintillating knock of 55 to take his team from 106 for 8 to a total of 190.
The two ODIs that New Zealand have won so far in the series at Delhi and Ranchi respectively have seen a couple of stellar bowling efforts from Southee, too, as he has claimed 3 wickets each on both occasions to set up the victory for his team.
One of his unforgettable match-winning performances came in the 2015 World Cup when his 7 for 33 against England ensured that the match was over even before the Blackcaps came out to bat.
It is imperative for an all-rounder to be able to make a positive impact for his team in a match and Tim Southee looks to be on the right track in this regard.
(Video courtesy: Sooper 22's Cricket YouTube channel)