On Friday, Kane Williamson and Tim Southee take to the field for their 100th Test match for New Zealand, becoming just the fifth and sixth Kiwi players to do so. Ahead of their milestone, the pair sat down with 1News to discuss their journey together over nearly two decades.
It's an overcast day in Christchurch. A brisk breeze sweeps across the Hagley Oval turf, a distinct reminder seasons are changing, summer slowly fading.
In the empty stands sit two men, jumpers on, quietly perusing the ground below. For nearly 15 years they have become the fabric of cricket in New Zealand and guided their team to some of its greatest successes.
Kane Williamson and Tim Southee will both play in their 100th Test match on Friday when they take to the field against Australia. It will also be the 83rd Test they have played together since Williamson debuted in 2010.
The pair have been pillars of the Black Caps for over a decade and will both play in their 100th Test match against Australia this week. (Source: 1News)
Yet their story traces back even further. Sitting in the bleachers at Hagley Oval, they reminisce about when they first crossed paths as promising schoolboy cricketers. Southee was the spearhead of the King's College attack, while Williamson was the star batsman for Tauranga Boys' College.
The two colleges were set to meet at the national Gillette Cup competition in 2006, and Williamson recalled having heard a lot about Southee going into the game.
"You were obviously a schoolboy juggernaut and I just remember that Tim Southee opens the bowling, bowls three overs, gets three wickets and has about 10 overs off and comes back in to finish off the tail and finish with six most games," Williamson recalled.
It certainly wasn't far off the truth. Southee was the chief destroyer as King's rolled Tauranga Boys' for just 89, the future Black Cap taking 4-9 in a devastating spell. King's cruised home by nine wickets and went on to finish first-equal in the competition alongside Christchurch Boys' High School.
Southee grinned remembering that game. He remembered coming up against Williamson on another occasion, in the Northern Districts under-17 tournament. Williamson, two years younger than Southee, stood out.
"Here’s this young kid from Bay of Plenty full of promise and potential, and you didn’t let them down. I just remember you were playing above your age and looked at home against older kids," Southee said.
It wasn't long before they were representing their country together. Williamson, aged just 17, captained the New Zealand under-19 side at the 2008 World Cup. Southee, 19, took 17 wickets at an average of 6.6 to earn player of the tournament. A few weeks later he was making his Test debut against England.
And what a debut it was. He picked up the wicket of England captain Michael Vaughan in his second over and went on to take 5/55 in the first innings. Later on with the bat he slammed nine sixes in an unbeaten 77, a score that remains his highest in Test cricket to date.
The ascension wasn't quite as quick for Williamson. He would have to wait until 2010 before making his debut against India in Ahmedabad, but made it count by scoring a beautifully-crafted 131.
Southee wasn't playing in that Test, but has been on hand for dozens more as he watched Williamson become New Zealand's greatest batsman, albeit during times when perhaps his mate was a "grumpy" captain.
"We’ve played a lot of cricket together, age group, Northern Districts and to play 83 of those 100 Test matches together has been pretty special," Southee said.
"Had we have said that when we were those kids back in under-17s we wouldn’t have dreamed of being able to do that. It’s been great to be able to do that together and being able to watch you grow as a cricketer and be captain for quite a few of those – grumpy at times – but just special to have a front row seat to what you’ve been able to achieve over that time."
Williamson laughed at being called grumpy, but agreed the journey the pair had been on was indeed "pretty special".
"Sitting here reflecting on the Test game, we can probably remember every Test we have played or something that happened in it. That speaks to the format and to share that 83 times and hopefully a few more has been amazing.
"Like you mentioned, starting as kids and trying to learn what it’s all about and growing up [Test cricket] is the pinnacle of our sport and wanting to experience that. Not in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be sitting here now having done that together. You scan from one to 100 but every game there’s so much in it. It’s pretty special and along with a number of other comrades we’ve had a group that have done some pretty cool things for quite a long time and gone through so much together."
Ahead of Friday's game, Williamson is New Zealand's all-time leading runscorer with 8675, while Southee's 378 wickets is second to Sir Richard Hadlee. But it wasn't always smooth sailing.
After bursting on to the scene, Southee struggled to build on his early promise. In early 2012 he had a dismal performance against South Africa, failing to take a wicket in the Test and conceding 140 runs. In the second innings, when the Proteas punished him for 100 runs, the Dunedin crowd ironically clapped him for reaching three figures. With a bowling average sitting just below 45, Southee, then 23, was promptly dropped.
It was the kick he needed. A few months later he was given another chance and took 7/64 against a vaunted Indian side. From that point on he became the focal point of the New Zealand attack. It's that kind of bounce back which is why Williamson describes Southee as "resilient".
"As a fast bowler 100 Tests is quite incredible, to do the art for so long and be at the top... day in day out honing in on what your strengths are," Williamson said.
Even Williamson, known for his consistency for churning out runs for over a decade, had his early struggles.
After 25 Tests he was averaging just 31 with the bat and scored three centuries, hardly the numbers expected of someone heralded as the country's next great batsman.
But in the next 74 Tests since he's averaged 64.5, scored 29 more centuries and easily staked his claim as New Zealand's best ever batsman, if not overall player.
Both men agreed the pinnacle of their Test career was being a part of the World Test Championship-winning side in 2021. As underdogs, the Black Caps defeated India in the final under gloomy skies in Southampton, becoming the inaugural winners of the competition.
"There’s been so many special memories but it’s hard to go past the Test championship," Southee said. "The cricket we played in the two years in the lead up to the final, the way we got into the final and then to win the World Test Championship was pretty special."
One hundred Tests is a lot, particularly for New Zealand who traditionally don't play as many games as the likes of England and Australia. In fact, Williamson and Southee will become just the fifth and sixth New Zealanders to reach the milestone. It's also likely one if not both will go past the record 112 Tests currently held by Ross Taylor and Daniel Vettori.
Asked what the secret was to cricketing longevity, the pair agreed having a passion for the game was crucial.
"Staying connected to the reasons for what you’re doing so you can enjoy it, see some perspective on it, because certainly not every day is a good one," Williamson said.
"Being part of a group and part of an environment that you care about and that drives you to want to be better and keep trying to add to that place."
Southee nodded. "Has to have something to do with the love and passion for the game, the enjoyment for what we do. The work that goes on behind the scenes [to maintain fitness] has been a massive part, just being part of something special and being able to fulfil a childhood dream."
Friday's game is a must-win for the Black Caps. After a poor showing in the first Test in Wellington, only a victory in Christchurch can save them from a series defeat against Australia. There's no doubt they'll be turning to their leaders Southee and Williamson to shine in their milestone games, and who would bet against the duo who have done it together since those schoolboy days in Northern Districts all those years ago.
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