Tim Southee completes 350 Test wickets, becomes third New Zealand player to do so

Karachi [Pakistan], December 28 (ANI): New Zealand pacer and Test skipper Tim Southee completed 350 wickets in Test cricket, becoming only the third Kiwi bowler to do so.

The 34-year-old veteran reached this milestone during New Zealand’s first Test against Pakistan at Karachi. In Pakistan’s first innings, Southee was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/69 in 25.5 overs at an economy rate of 2.67.

Now, in 89 matches, Southee has taken a total of 350 scalps at an average of 28.94 and an economy rate of 3.00. His best bowling figures in an innings are 7/64 and 10/108 in a full Test match.

The highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in Tests is the all-rounder Richard Hadlee. In 86 Tests, he took 431 wickets at an average of 22.29 and an economy rate of 2.63. His best bowling figures are 9/52 in an innings and for a whole match, they are 15/123.

Behind Hadlee is former Kiwis all-rounder Daniel Vettori, who has a total of 361 Test scalps.

The top five wicket-takers in the Test format are: Sri Lankan spin legend Muthiah Muralidaran (800 wickets), late Aussie spin great Shane Warne (708 wickets), England’s James Anderson (675), Indian spinner Anil Kumble (619) and England pacer Stuart Broad (566).

Coming to the Karachi Test, at the end of the second day’s play, New Zealand was at 165/0, with Conway (82) and Tom Latham (78) unbeaten.

They trail Pakistan by 273 runs, who made 438 runs after electing to bat first.
Skipper Babar Azam (161), Agha Salman (103) and a returning Sarfaraz Ahmed (86) did well for the side with the bat.

Tim Southee (3/69) was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis. Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, and Michael Bracewell also took two scalps while Neil Wagner took one.

Brief Scores: Pakistan: 438 (Babar Azam 161, Agha Salman 103, Tim Southee 3/69) against New Zealand: 165/0 in 47 overs (Devon Conway 82, Tom Latham 78) at the end of day two.