NZ vs IND, 1st Test: ‘Our bowling on Day 2 was pretty good,’ says Tim Southee

New Zealand's Tim Southee celebrates India's Ajinkya Rahane being caught during day two of the first Test cricket match between New Zealand and India at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on February 22, 2020.


New Zealand bowlers on Saturday wreaked havoc on the Indian lower batting order to bundle them out for a low score of 165 runs in their first innings of the first Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Resuming at an overnight score of 122 for 5 on Day 2, India could add only 43 runs before getting wrapped up. Overnight batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant scored 46 and 19 runs, respectively, before leaving India in a precarious situation.

“The way we bowled this morning was pretty good. To come off and finish the Indian batting line-up like that with two dangerous players in this morning,” said Southee, who returned figures of 4 for 49, as quoted by PTI.

Southee has never been an out-and-out fast bowler and at this stage of his career, he relies on his ability to move the ball both in the air and off the pitch.

“Well, I probably gave up worrying about speed a while ago, so I guess you’ve got to rely on other skills, and I guess swing, there was a little bit of swing there today.

“Not been as windy as it was yesterday, so us as a bowling unit, we try to expose that swing when we get it, and there was a little bit there today,” said Southee.

In reply to India’s 165, New Zealand reached 216 runs at the loss of 5 wickets at stumps on Day 2. Kane Williamson with his 89-run knock was the top-scorer for the side. Apart from Williamson, Ross Taylor, who is playing his 100th Test match, scored 44 runs to help New Zealand’s cause.

Wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling (14) and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme (4) were at the crease when the umpires called for stumps with New Zealand leading by 51 runs.