New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Tim Southee. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's been five years since Kane Williamson played Plunket Shield cricket and what's even rarer is he will get to do it with someone who has been by his side for most of his career.
Williamson, New Zealand's all-time leading run-scorer has recovered from a groin injury, which kept him out of the recent victorious Black Caps tour of India.
He will return to Hamilton's Seddon Park today for Northern Districts (ND) looking to get some time in the middle ahead of a busy home summer of international cricket.
Northern Districts also named Black Cap Tim Southee in their squad to take on the Auckland Aces in Round 2 of the four day Plunket Shield clash.
The pair have been named in the Black Caps Test squad to take on England later this month.
The demands of international cricket make opportunities to play in the domestic competition few and far between. Williamson hasn't appeared in the Plunket Shield since 2019 and he's excited to be doing it with Southee.
"Tim and I have grown up coming through the ranks here at Northern Districts and you always feel an ND man whether you are here or not. I know Tim is really looking forward to it, so am I and a cool occasion," Williamson said.
He comes into the side with a formidable record in the Plunket Shield, averaging 60 and owning ND's second highest score of all time (284*).
Williamson had to settle for being a spectator but thoroughly enjoyed watching his team-mates' incredible victory in India.
"I was glued to it …after Sri Lanka, the outcomes with those results naturally hurt a bit but there were some really good bits there that we wanted to build on and clearly that happened and the guys played with a lot of courage.
"I suffered a little bit of FOMO which is a good thing but just admired it really."
Southee recently announced his Test retirement to come at the end of the England series, also taking place at his home ground, Seddon Park.
They make a good pair - Southee is New Zealand's all-time leading international wicket-taker (770).
"Playing so long together, you just go through so much and both doing stints in leadership roles, and you go through different turbulent times and then you have some good ones as well and they are all part of the experience," Williamson said.
"To do it as long as Tim has is incredible and as a fast bowler as well, there's not many in the history of the game really that have been able to achieve what he has."
Williamson said when he skippered the Black Caps, he leaned on Southee a lot.
"When I took over, he was a big part of that [leadership] picture … we're different in character which I think was beneficial for the team."
Southee took over as New Zealand captain after Williamson stepped down from the role in December 2022. Before the recent series against India Southee decided to bow out as Test skipper.
Williamson said when players in the same era as him retired, it did make him think about his own sporting mortality.
"It's life isn't it, you sort of do realise that you are closer towards the end than the start and so it's navigating those periods because you feel slightly different when you play your first game, than when you play your hundredth.
"There's sadness but excitement as well for Tim because the end of your time in a sporting professional environment is scary but there's so much more to come."
Southee's Plunket Shield record is equally as impressive as Williamson's, with 149 wickets at an average below 21 and 10 five-wicket bags.
"It's great to have a couple of legends of New Zealand cricket back for this week," said ND coach BJ Watling, who played alongside Williamson in the latter's most recent Plunket Shield appearance.
Former New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner, who retired earlier this year, has also been named in NDs eleven for the match.
The Black Caps duo will join a side buoyed with confidence after making a perfect start to the Plunket Shield campaign with a win at Hagley Oval against Canterbury, collecting maximum bonus points in a 7 wicket win.
