NEWS
Follow UsNew Zealand seamer Tim Southee’s dislocated right thumb is “still a bit tender”, but the 34-year-old has already started bowling and could be match-ready at any stage of the World Cup 2023. The right-armer injured his thumb during the ODI series against England last month, and is now highly doubtful for New Zealand’s tournament opener against Jos Buttler and his men on Thursday (October 5) in Ahmedabad.
"It's still a bit tender where obviously there's a bit of scarring and a bit of numbness around where the plate is. So I guess it's just (about) getting used to that. And getting back into some bowling. Haven't done a lot of bowling over the last couple of weeks, so it's about getting your loads back up as well as managing the thumb,” said Southee upon arrival in Ahmedabad.
Talking about the entire recovery process, Southee said: “It's been a crazy couple of weeks. A bit of a race against time to get here, but managed to get here and it's a great place to come. It's an awesome place to come and play cricket, let alone being a World Cup.
"(The injury was) something new. Haven't done an injury like this before. I guess when something like that happens so close to a world event, your mind starts to drift towards that. With the limited time we had, I guess sitting down and working out the fastest recovery time, and the route back was to chuck some screws in it and a plate and hope for the best.
“Everyone I've dealt with and the process has been brilliant to get me to this stage. So fingers crossed we can carry on the recovery process and be right in time."
This will be Southee’s third ODI World Cup and the experienced campaigner has already gone through multiple heartbreaks. The Black Caps qualified for the semis in 2011 but lost to Sri Lanka, before losing back-to-back finals in 2015 and 2019. Kane Williamson, who himself has been ruled out of the tournament opener, has also featured in these three events, while Trent Boult was part of the last two World Cups.
"Obviously two very good mates and guys I've played a lot of cricket with. Not only for New Zealand, but going back through age-group cricket, domestically for Northern Districts as well. So I think also two of our greatest, greatest players to have played the game. So it's been a special, I guess 10-12...how many (ever) years it's been, to play alongside those guys and see them grow from kids into two of New Zealand's greats."
