Tim Southee – The heir to the swing king's throne

When Tim Southee left the beautiful Basin Reserve ground on the 6th of April, 2009, he seemed like a man whose career was at crossroads. On that day, this gifted swing bowler cut a forlorn figure, as the Indian batsmen smashed his bowling to smithereens. When Southee was bowling, I felt pity on the Kiwi fielders too, as they had to bring out their diving skills to stop the ball from crashing into the boundary boards.

Rewind a bit further back to 22nd March, 2008. Southee had just bullied the under-19 batsmen into submission in the World Cup. He even carried that form into his debut test against England. On a seaming deck, Southee just scythed through England’s top-order and took a 5-fer. Later on in that game, he showed he can wield a bat like an axe; smashing 77 of just 40 balls.

Those two contrasting days in Southee’s career tells us a bit about a top sportsman’s career. As a microcosm of life, a top sportsman’s career will also have days when nothing seems to go right. A few will just drown in depression. But the best in the business will be able to overcome it, through guts and gumption.

Just think of the champion tennis player, Nadal. In ’07 Wimbledon, he looked well set to defeat his arch-rival, Federer. Unfortunately, from nowhere, he lost his way and Fedex won that year. Afterwards, Rafa said that he cried non-stop in the players’ locker room for a long time. The gutsy Rafa though took that defeat on his chin, as he outlasted Federer in a marathon five-setter the very next year at the hallowed turf of Wimbledon.

Last year, Tim Southee too showed his mettle after years of under-performance. From a bowler who averaged 38.92 and 42.36 in ’10 and ’11 respectively, he became a thorn in the flesh of the batsmen; by taking 25 wickets at just 22.64. When Southee blew away India and Sri Lanka in their own backyard, one wondered whether was it indeed was Southee’s twin brother masquerading as Tim Southee.

The 7 for 64 Southee took against the formidable Indian batting line-up (at least on paper) in Bangalore has to be one of the best spells of 2012. Under slightly overcast conditions, he seemingly had that ball on a string, and did whatever he wished to do that day. The track at Bangalore was by no means a swing bowler’s paradise, and yet, he made the ball talk by consistently swinging it late at decent pace. He even used the surprise bouncer and the change-up scrambled seam delivery to great effect. Tim Southee went after the compulsive hooker Pujara with bouncers, and finally nailed him with a well-directed bouncer, an image that would be etched in my memory.

The Little Master, Tendulkar wasn’t spared either. After bowling a few good length deliveries, Southee surprised Tendulkar with a change-up scrambled seam delivery to uproot his stumps. Tendulkar is perhaps coming to the fag end of his illustrious career, yet every bowler would dream of taking the Little Master’s wicket. The icing on the cake was that he set up Tendulkar before delivering the coup de grace.

Southee did something similar in the beautiful Emerald Isles too. Sri Lanka’s opening bat Dlishan can be an annoying batsman, as he wafts and swishes at almost every delivery outside the off-stump, but doesn’t seem to get the edge. Southee didn’t lose his nerve while bowling to him, as he looked to cramp Dilshan for room. He also put finishing touches to that bowling master-class; by finding a gap between Dilshan’s bat and pad, and sending his stumps for a walk. Even their premier batsman, Sangakkara was a victim of some careful planning and brilliant execution by the wily fox, Southee. A good length delivery outside the off-stump; followed by a quick short delivery that forced Sangakkara to play, proved to be too good for this Zen Master. In India and Sri Lanka, Southee was like a predator preying on the batsmen stealthily without their knowledge.

What more, New Zealand went onto win that Test at PSS Colombo and drew the series 1-1. I am sure that the five wicket haul that Southee took at PSS Colombo would have made him a happy man, as New Zealand won the Test. It is sad, but true that Southee was ruled out of the tour to South Africa due to a thumb injury. On those seaming decks, Southee could have been a handful.

Mind you, swing bowling is a very difficult art to master. To bowl cocked-wrist swing, and become a great manipulator of the ball. To also swing it either way; with the seam being perfectly upright isn’t a child’s play. Even if it goes wrong ever so slightly, a swing bowler will lose his way.

Our Tim Southee is still not a swing king. He isn’t yet a great manipulator of the ball. He isn’t yet Steyn, or Jimmy Anderson, to explore every nook and cranny in the defence of a batsman. Southee’s test bowling average of 35.04 doesn’t make for great reading either. Only a brave man though, will be willing to bet against South Africa’s great fast bowler Allan Donald’s prophecy that one day, Southee is going to be the best swing bowler going around.

Even from New Zealand’s perspective, a fit and firing Southee is a must, when they take on the men from Old Blighty in the Test series. Southee and his partner in crime, Boult can make Englishmen dance to their swinging tunes; with their craft called swing bowling. Interesting times ahead.