Tim Southee equals Chris Gayle's record in farewell Test

New Zealand's Tim Southee has equalled Chris Gayle's record in the ongoing Test against England at Seddon Park, Hamilton. He hit three sixes in his innings and scored 23 off 10 deliveries as New Zealand ended Day One on 315/9. Southee now has 98 sixes in Test cricket, which is as many as Gayle hit in his career. Only Adam Gilchrist (100), Brendon McCullum (107) and Ben Stokes (133) have hit more sixes in the longest format.

The right-handed batter, who came in at No. 10, wasted little time to get going as he smashed Ben Stokes over the mid-wicket fence off just his third ball. Two balls later, he once again cleared the fence, this time over deep square-leg. In the very next over, Gus Atkinson looked to bounce him out, but Southee was up for the challenge as he smashed that one over mid-wicket once again to equal Gayle. 

Southee has scored 2,243 runs in Tests since making his debut in 2008, including seven fifties. However, he is one of the finest bowlers New Zealand have produced, with 389 wickets so far, only behind Richard Hadlee, who has 431 scalps. He is currently in the middle of his last-ever Test, having announced his retirement ahead of the series.

In the ongoing Test series, England have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead. The visitors won the first Test in Christchurch by 8 wickets and followed that up with a 323-run victory in Wellington.

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