Tim Southee said he will never forget his “incredible journey” after the New Zealand champion confirmed on Tuesday he had fully retired from international cricket.
Southee said he would “disappear” as a happy man after taking two wickets in his 107th and final Test, a 423-run drubbing of England at Hamilton.
The 36-year-old swing bowler then revealed that he would no longer play limited-overs matches for his country, ending a record 17 years in all three formats.
“It’s time for these young guys,” Southee said.
“We’ve seen so many of them come through over the last few years and I can’t wait to sit back and watch them continue to push this team forward.
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“I have lived so long. So yes, I’ll finish.
Southee’s 391 wickets are second only to Richard Hadlee in the New Zealand cricket history books.
But Southee stands alone in New Zealand’s total international wickets, with 776 since his 2008 debut.
He is the only player in the world to have taken over 300 Test wickets, 200 in one-day internationals (221) and 100 in Twenty20 international tournaments (164), with T20 being the most by any player.
Southee said he would look for opportunities to play in professional T20 leagues but decided the best way to sign for New Zealand would be to test at his home ground at Seddon Park.
“Test cricket is the pinnacle for me and winning by 400 runs against a brilliant opponent is special,” he said.
“It’s a good way to escape from reality after an amazing trip.
“Every opportunity to play for New Zealand has been a special moment. It was a great ride and I have 17 years of memories that I will take with me.”
Southee said he would remember with particular fondness New Zealand’s “golden period” in which he shared the new ball with Trent Boult, supported by aggressive first-change exponent Neil Wagner.
The three seamen have been a lethal combined force for a decade, culminating in victory in the World Test Championship final against India at Lord’s Stadium in 2021.
“It was special to be a part of it,” Southee said.
“And playing alongside those two and developing a pretty good friendship that will go far beyond the game is, I think, the most rewarding part of it all.”
Southee said he would not miss the grueling schedule of international cricket.
“I will definitely spend Christmas at home with my family,” he said.
“They have been few and far between in the last how many years.”
