[Watch] England players give Tim Southee a guard of honor in his final Test

Veteran New Zealand pacer Tim Southee, playing his final Test, was given a guard of honor by the England team as he walked out to bat on Day 1 (Saturday, December 14) of the third and final Test. The match is being played at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Southee came in at No. 10 and delighted the crowd with his brief innings. The 36-year-old scored 23 runs off 10 balls, including one four and three sixes. With this, he increased his total to 98 sixes in Test cricket, ranking fourth on the all-time list.

Here’s a video of the England team giving Tim Southee a guard of honor:

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This is his 107th Test. The pacer made his debut against the same opposition, England, in 2008. Southee has taken 389 wickets, including 15 five-wicket hauls. With the bat, he has scored 2,243 runs, featuring seven half-centuries, with a highest score of 77 not out.

Fifties from Tom Latham and Mitchell Santner help New Zealand's score go past 300 on Day 1 of the third Test against England

England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl first. New Zealand openers, captain Tom Latham and Will Young, provided a solid foundation with a 105-run partnership. Young scored 42 before being dismissed by Gus Atkinson.

Latham made a brisk 63 off 135 balls, while Kane Williamson added 44. However, the middle order struggled to make a significant impact. Rachin Ravindra (18), Daryl Mitchell (14), Tom Blundell (21), and Glenn Phillips (5) saw New Zealand slip from 172-2 to 231-7.

Mitchell Santner then took charge, with Tim Southee adding a cameo 23 off 10 balls. At Stumps on Day 1, New Zealand were 315-9, with Santner on 50 and William O'Rourke (0) at the crease. Matthew Potts and Atkinson claimed three wickets each for England.