Tim Southee delivered an appropriate final ball in test cricket.

Running towards his eponymous end at Seddon Park, he asked a measured line-and-length question of Ollie Pope outside off stump at 129.2km/h, which was defended into the covers.

The 36-year-old right-armer might have lost a yard of pace in recent years, but his cricketing guile remained omnipresent, never shirking from a desire to compete.

He was compulsive viewing during his pomp, plying his trade in a lean and menacing fashion. That involved gliding into a rhythmical run-up, launching into an economical action and ensuring the slip cordon remained on red alert.

Often of late we were told how his numbers only told part of the story in relation to his spot in the team, but they’re worth mentioning.