May 15, 2025 | By BlogHear.com Staff
England Cricket has announced the appointment of New Zealand’s Tim Southee as fast-bowling consultant for the first part of the upcoming home summer. Southee, 36, retired from international cricket last December and is set to provide expert guidance to England’s pace attack during a busy period of international fixtures.
The role was previously held by James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket but remains involved with the team. Anderson is unavailable for the initial summer series due to his playing commitments with Lancashire, where he is expected to return to the field against Derbyshire this Friday.
Southee’s consultancy will cover the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, the white-ball series against the West Indies, and the five-match Test series versus India. Afterward, he will shift focus to playing for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred competition.
England’s head coach Brendon McCullum, a former teammate and close friend of Southee, praised the appointment, saying, “With his vast experience across formats and conditions worldwide, Tim brings invaluable insight and knowledge to our players.”
England’s fast-bowling unit faces a challenging start to the summer, with senior pacers Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Olly Stone all absent for the Zimbabwe Test at Trent Bridge next Thursday. The squad includes less experienced bowlers such as Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, and uncapped Sam Cook, potentially marking the least experienced seam attack fielded by England at home since 2003.
Though England explored other candidates for the consultancy role, Southee emerged as the leading choice last month. The pacer boasts an illustrious international career with 391 Test wickets, second only to Sir Richard Hadlee among New Zealanders. Southee played his final Test against England in Hamilton late last year, where McCullum honored him with a presentation on the field.
Joining assistant coach Jeetan Patel, Southee’s addition means England’s coaching staff now includes three New Zealanders, further strengthening the Kiwi influence behind the scenes.
While Anderson continues his playing career, he remains a key figure in England’s dressing room and may rejoin the coaching team ahead of the Ashes series later this year. His availability will depend on his fitness and playing schedule with Lancashire.
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