Tim Southee relishes 'rewarding' World Test Championship triumph after years of hard work

One of the chief architects of New Zealand’s rise to the top of the world in Test cricket, Tim Southee called winning the World Test Championship final a ‘rewarding’ result for all the hard work put in by the side over the last couple of years.

Pointing out what made New Zealand a competitive side in the WTC cycle that began in 2019, Southee said that the Blackcaps made a habit of not giving up at any stage, and the team management adopted a consistency in team selection while players repaid the faith with consistency in performances.

“We started this journey two years ago. To be sitting here as champions is special. There's a lot of hard work that has gone into it. Consistency comes to mind: consistency through performances, consistency in selection. We do a lot for each other. The turnaround dates back to beyond the last couple of years,” Southee said to the official broadcaster Star Sports.

New Zealand were given a target of 139 runs which could have been a tricky target to chase if not for the experience of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson and Southee said that the duo settled things down in the New Zealand dressing room.

“The change room was a lot calmer knowing we had two experienced guys out there. Probably the longest 139 runs I've experienced,” he added.

Southee also credited BJ Watling for an outstanding career at the international level and said that his behaviour throughout the course of his career epitomises New Zealand’s team culture.

“BJ Watling sums up what this team means, we wanted to send him off with a win at the start of the tour. He's been a tremendous part of the side, he's given this team everything he's had, couldn't be happier for him,” Southee looked back on Watling’s career.

New Zealand’s win over India in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship will serve as a great sense of pride among their fans after a heartbreaking loss in the final of the ODI World Cup two years back.