New Zealand Cricket puts an end to Southee ‘mid-air dalliance’ controversy

AUCKLAND - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) Chief Executive Justin Vaughan has put an end to the controversy over fast bowler Tim Southee’s mid-air dalliance with a female passenger.

Vaughan also denied claims that team manager Dave Currie had poorly handled the situation on the World Cup team’s flight to India.

“Tim is fine about things now and I spoke to his mother again today and she has no grizzles with New Zealand Cricket or Dave Currie,” Stuff.co.nz quoted Vaughan, as saying.

“It’s easy to say Dave could have handled things better, but I thought he did everything by the book. It was a long flight [Sydney to Dubai], he was asked to respond to a question and said he was investigating it and I don’t think that is fanning the fire,” he added.

Vaughan further said that he has also discussed the issue with Players’ Association Chief Executive Heath Mills.

“I told Heath that, there is nothing more on the matter and that seems to be what everyone would prefer,” Vaughan said.

Mills had earlier confirmed that Southee was drinking at the on-board bar, where he received an invitation from a female passenger to visit the first-class cabin. The cricketers were in business class.

Southee was asked to leave first-class because he was not entitled to be there. He returned to his teammates, but the woman later reappeared in the business section, sat on his knee and gave him a goodnight kiss. (ANI)