By Greg Stutchbury
NAPIER, New Zealand, March 21 - Young fast bowler
Tim Southee has been given the seal of approval by his captain
Daniel Vettori, the last teenager to make his test debut for
New Zealand.
Southee, who turned 19 in December, was named in the side
on Friday for the third test against England at Napier's McLean
Park to replace the injured Kyle Mills.
"It's pretty exciting for him," the 29-year-old Vettori
told reporters on Friday. "He is pretty calm about it all.
"I have talked to him and said I just wanted him to play
his natural game."
Southee, who played in the Twenty20 matches against England
at the start of the tour, was recently named player of the
tournament at the International Cricket Council's under-19
World Cup in Malaysia.
The swing bowler took 17 wickets at an average of 6.64.
"The way he has bowled in the past has led us to believe he
can do a job for us," Vettori added.
"He is pretty consistent. He swings it and with those two
things it doesn't matter what kind of wicket it is you bowl on.
"He is an exciting prospect for us and we are looking
forward to him beginning a long career for us." Vettori, who
was just 18 when he made his test debut against England in
1997, said he did not expect Southee's age to play any part in
the game.
"It comes down to the person," he said. "The age is
irrelevant.
"Tim has two full seasons of first class cricket and played
pretty well. He has gone away to the under-19 tournament and
probably dominated the tournament.
"He did a good job in the Twenty20s and is in good form. I
don't' see why it'll be a problem.
"He's got a good head on him. He's calm and mature and
you'll see that when he plays you'll see he is a guy who has
going to be a huge asset for New Zealand cricket for some time
to come."
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
(greg.stutchbury@reuters.com; +64 210 694-370; Reuters
messaging: greg.stutchbury.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the
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