New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee is known for his fierce bowling, wicket-taking ability and swing when he is donning the jersey of the Kiwis. But this time he came in news for a completely different reason. The 30-year-old fast bowler is on the verge of breaking legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's batting record in Test cricket. The New Zealand cricketer equalled the number of sixes Sachin has to his name in Test cricket on the first day of the New Zealand and Sri Lanka Test match at Galle.
The pace spearhead who scored 14 runs off 19 balls he faced when he batted at the number 10 position, equalled the master blaster's record by hitting off-spinner Dhanajaya de Silva out of the park. Both the cricketers have 69 sixes to their name in Test cricket. While the former Indian cricketer took 329 innings to reach there, Southee needed just 89 innings to get equal to, arguably, the greatest cricketer of his generation. Both of them are currently tied at the 17th spot with Younis Khan just ahead of them as the Pakistani cricketer has 70 sixes to his name.
The record for the most number of sixes in Test cricket belongs to another former member of the New Zealand team, Brendon McCullum. The hard-hitting wicket-keeper batsman has 107 sixes to his name from the 176 innings he played. Adam Gilchrist is the only other cricketer who has touched the three-figure mark with respect to the number of sixes in Tests. The former Australian wicket-keeping legend has a tally of 100 sixes in 137 innings.
Indian former cricketer and opener Virender Sehwag has 91 sixes to his name and tops the chart among Indian cricketers.
The Kiwis got bundled for 249 runs in the first innings of the match and in reply, the Lankans took a slender lead of 18 runs. Akila Dananjaya was the pick of the bowlers in the match as he picked up five wickets for 80 runs in the 30 overs he bowled.
Both the teams are playing the first Test of the two-match series in Sri Lanka.
