Jason Pine: Relinquishing the captaincy is a good thing for Tim Southee

Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

The change in Black Caps test captaincy obviously had to happen.

Whether it was the captaincy that affected his performances or not, and I actually think it played a big part, the fact is Tim Southee wasn't doing enough to guarantee his place in the team.

That becomes a real issue when you're the captain, even more so on the sub-continent.

More often than not, you play just two seamers in tests over there, so you need to pick your quickest bowler and your best bowler.

Tim Southee is neither of these.

The omission of Matt Henry can only be explained by Southee being captain/

The last time Henry bowled in test cricket was against Australia at the end of our home summer. He took 5-70 and 3-36 in the first test, then 7-67 and 2-94 in the second.

17 wickets at 15.71, easily our best bowler, and probably the best across both sides in the series.

Tim Southee took 4 wickets in those two tests at an average of 61.

Henry also contributed some handy runs, averaging over 25 across the series, Southee averaged 8.5.

But Matt Henry was the man left out of these Sri Lankan tests because Tim Southee was captain. Imagine taking 7 for 67 in an innings against Australia, then being dropped for the next test.

Thankfully, that'll be one of the first things put right by the captaincy change – it'll ensure Matt Henry plays against India.

The question now is whether Tim Southee even goes on that tour.

I don't think he should.

He should stay back here, get out of the limelight, freshen up, and get ready to play the three tests against England before Christmas.

He should definitely play those tests, we'll have a seam-heavy attack, and Southee still earns his place in a 4-prong attack with Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, and probably Ben Sears. I don't know the current status of Kyle Jamieson, hopefully we'll see him again this summer.

But Southee plays those tests.

And I think that might be a good way to bring the curtain down on what has been, by every measure, a terrific career. 382 test wickets, only Sir Richard Hadlee has more for us than that.

Wouldn't it be great to see him join the exclusive 400-wicket club?

18 more wickets might be a stretch in three tests, but who knows? Without having to worry about anything other than bowling, and on reasonably seam-friendly wickets at Hagley, the Basin, and Seddon Park, he could do it.

I honestly think relinquishing the captaincy is a good thing for Tim Southee.

He is one of our cricketing greats, he deserves to go out on top.

The longer the captaincy saga played out, the more his legacy was being tainted. Now he's got the chance for a swansong at home and to enjoy a fitting end to a great, great career.

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