Tim Southee receives guard of honour in farewell Test as brilliant gesture from Ben Stokes-led England wins hearts

In a display of sportsmanship, England players gave a guard of honor to Tim Southee, who is appearing in his final Test.

It was an emotional scene during the opening day of the third Test between England and New Zealand, as Tim Southee made his final appearance in Test cricket. England’s players, led by Ben Stokes, gave a heartfelt guard of honour to the retiring pacer as he walked out to bat, a fitting tribute to a remarkable career that spanned 107 Tests.

Tim Southee receives a guard of honour(AP)

Southee, who was accompanied by his daughter and New Zealand teammates ahead of the start of the match, was visibly moved as he walked onto the field with the bat, an emotional moment marking the end of an era in New Zealand cricket.

Southee made the most of his outing in the first innings; staying true to his aggressive style, Southee didn’t disappoint, scoring a blistering 23 off just 10 deliveries. His knock was punctuated by a boundary and three towering sixes, taking his career tally to 98 sixes in Test cricket, matching Chris Gayle's record.

Only three players have struck more sixes in the format, including Adam Gilchrist (100), Brendon McCullum (107), and Ben Stokes (133).

Watch the guard of honour here:

Southee's quickfire innings formed part of a late rally from New Zealand, who finished Day 1 at 315 /9. Mitchell Santner, unbeaten on 50, along with the tailenders, added 76 crucial runs in the final eight overs, rescuing the team from a precarious position after a middle-order collapse.

Earlier, New Zealand had made a solid start, with openers Tom Latham (65) and Will Young (47) putting on a 105-run partnership, New Zealand’s best opening stand in 28 Tests. Young, returning to the side in place of Devon Conway, also crossed the 1000-career Test runs milestone, marking a personal achievement in an otherwise challenging day for the hosts.

However, New Zealand’s momentum was stalled as England's bowlers, led by Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes, made crucial breakthroughs. Key middle-order wickets, including Kane Williamson (44) and Tom Blundell (21), fell to lapses in concentration.

The highlight of the day came when Harry Brook produced a stunning catch at the boundary to dismiss Matt Henry (8), further adding to New Zealand’s woes.