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Cricket: England Tests are not warm-up games for World Test Championship final: Tim Southee

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, India Updated: May 21, 2021, 05:47 PM IST
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Southee and his wife are expecting their first child. Photograph:(AFP)

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Tim Southee says he doesn't see their two-match Test arrangement against England as a warm-up ahead of the ICC World Test Championship finale against India. 

Tim Southee says he doesn't see their two-match Test arrangement against England as a warm-up ahead of the ICC World Test Championship finale against India. 

The Test series among England and New Zealand starts off on June 2 at Lord's before the squads travel to Edgbaston for the subsequent game beginning June 10. New Zealand will then lock horns with India in the World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton from June 18. 

While addressing the press, Tim Southee said his side were totally focused on the forthcoming Test arrangement and were not looking forward to their clash with India.

"I think anytime you get a chance to play a Test match for New Zealand, it's an amazing opportunity and it's something you treasure, so I don't think you would treat them as warm-ups" - he said. 

"It's a two-match Test series against England and so our focus is first and foremost on those two matches." For us, it is great to have those matches in the lead-in to the final that follows on afterward. It's great preparation for the final but in saying that, for us, it's a two-match Test series that we're really looking forward to, and the quality English opposition in these conditions" - he added

New Zealand's schedule incorporates three Test matches in 20 days, however, Tim Southee isn't stressed over the workload. 

"It's exciting to play three Test matches in a short space of time. It is something that the team doesn't get to do that often. We've come off a bit of a break, and we have been able to get some conditioning into our bodies."So the guys are refreshed in some sort of way, using the next couple of weeks to get ourselves prepared and ready to play three Test matches. They are in quick succession but we have had a chance to prepare physically leading into this with some strength and conditioning stuff." - he concluded.