New captain Tim Southee during a Black Caps training session. Photo / Photosport
New captain Tim Southee during a Black Caps training session. Photo / Photosport
Tim Southee’s work as a leader with the Black Caps began long before he was named test captain.
The 34-year-old has been crucial to the success of the Black Caps’ bowling unit over the years, and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen believes his consistency with the ball and ability to instillconfidence in the group will continue to be a key feature of his leadership as captain - starting with the first of two tests against Pakistan in Karachi on Boxing Day.
“He’s done a fantastic job as a leader of the group over a long period of time, both in his skills and also his leadership,” Jurgensen said of Southee.
“He provides a lot of confidence around the group and that’s what we’re looking forward to him bringing into his captaincy.”
Variety in the New Zealand bowling attack will once again prove crucial in Pakistan, with new - and old - faces coming into the squad to take advantage of the conditions in the subcontinent.
Jurgensen says Southee, along with the team’s leadership group, has played a big part in fostering an environment of comradery among the bowlers, helping new additions to the hunting pack to slot in seamlessly.
“The guys have really realised as a bowling group you do have to hunt as a pack and you rely a lot on each other. And that’s what’s really important, once you’ve got that trust and that bond and guys feel psychologically safe within the group. I think certainly Tim and the other senior bowlers have provided that to many of the young bowlers coming in.”
Tim Southee of the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
Ajaz Patel, one of the bowlers returning to the side with spin set to be important in Karachi, said he’s looking forward to seeing Southee grow into the role.
“It’s a new and exciting challenge for Tim and it’s something I’m sure he’s really looking forward to and takes a lot of pride in,” Patel said.
“We know how much he loves playing for New Zealand. I’m sure he’s going to try and stamp his mark on the New Zealand cricket scene so it will be interesting to see how he takes that lead.”
The Black Caps are expecting a similarly flat wicket, having watched England’s series sweep of Pakistan at the same venue closely, which will require an all-round effort from the bowling attack.
“Looks like the wickets are quite slow, docile, potentially flat wickets - offering some spin and a good opportunity to try and have an impact with the new ball if you can, but then quickly switch to having an impact with the old ball,” Jurgensen said.
“There’s really a role for all our bowlers over there in Pakistan and we’re going to have to play well as a unit.”
Jurgensen says mixing patience with aggression will be key, as England showed in their 3-0 series win over Pakistan.
“It’s important to stay really patient and bide your time. Over the course of those games, you saw that there were windows of opportunity for each team to take advantage and for us it’ll be exactly the same; making sure we adapt to conditions as quickly as we can.
“Look forward to playing a combination of some patient but also some aggressive cricket when we get that opportunity to take the momentum of the game towards us.”
