If I can really have it that they bowled better during the new ball spells, I don't think it would have been necessary to imply that Southee is a has-been bowler. And before you deny it, thats what you implied by citing him being dropped from those UAE Tests. His recent averages are better than his career averages, so it hardly seems probable that he's losing it.
It has nothing to do with whether or not Southee is 'losing it' and as for that comment which I'm not denying the clarification is that in the last 10 years he has just about been the first name on the team sheet every match in every format, now all of a sudden he's being left out of sides regularly.
Now I don't claim to be the best judge on NZ cricket but we do see a lot of their home matches here in oz and I did watch parts of the UAE tour, I'm not ready to call time on him, but the fact still remains he's being left out of sides which clearly shows the management don't think he was the same bowler he was.
You can't even argue they've brought in new blood, Wagner got preferred to him in the UAE, and it was Henry & Ferguson who were preferred in the ODIs, they've both been around the side for at least 2-3 years
It has nothing to do with whether or not Southee is 'losing it' and as for that comment which I'm not denying the clarification is that in the last 10 years he has just about been the first name on the team sheet every match in every format, now all of a sudden he's being left out of sides regularly.
I am almost sure he's being left out of Tests as a tactical decision. UAE dustbowls it makes sense not to play 3 or 4 seamers. Boult is the leader of the attack and is an auto-pick. Southee is a swing bowler whereas Wagner is one who bangs it in regardless of wicket conditions. I would still go with Southee, but NZ clearly dropped him for tactical reasons. Why else would they pick him for the home series vs Sri Lanka and Bangladesh?
Southee Test average = 30.
Southee Test average last 3 years = 28
Southee Test average in 2018 = 19
If anything, he's in the form of his life. So if he's being left out, NZ are either trying to lose intentionally or he's being rested as a strategic move.
In ODIs, Southee has never been anything more than average. Him being left out for Ferguson who averages 25 odd makes sense when Southee averages nearly 35.
Bangladesh cricket fanatic, observer of all others.