Feature - Upfront
Shane Bond
by Matt Nippert
Ranked the world’s second-best – and third-fastest – bowler, Shane Bond is our greatest cricketer since Richard Hadlee. But the former policeman won’t be with the Black Caps as they take on Australia this week.
You’re recuperating from yet another injury. Is there any part of your body that hasn’t broken down? That’s a good question. Most of my injuries have been related to my back. I’ve also had a couple of hamstring twinges, a runner’s knee – which wasn’t serious, but required surgery – and a stress fracture in my foot. At the moment I’ve got an abdominal strain.
After you returned from South Africa, the talkback crowd called you “soft”. Can’t you just play through the pain like Buck Shelford did? I don’t mind playing with a bit of pain – you expect to. I’ve had a number of times when I’ve had needles in toes or my nail’s been coming off, and I played three games in Australia with a broken foot. In South Africa I played with this strain as much as I could, but it got to a point where I went off to put some ice on it – and then it became a struggle just to walk. I had an MRI and the doctors said it was grade three, which is the worst possible tear.
When do you hope to return to the field? At this stage I’m feeling good and hoping to be back for the England series in February. I’ve been running – 5km yesterday – and don’t feel any symptoms. So things are progressing reasonably nicely.
That running must come in handy – your run-up is pretty substantial. Have you thought about doing a Hadlee and slowing things down to extend your career? My run-up isn’t that long compared with some other bowlers. I probably could pull the reins back and bowl slower, and I probably have to some degree, but the bottom line is the team needs me to bowl fast. It’s my job to run in and bowl quick, try to get wickets and hurry guys up. It may get to a point where my body tells me I can’t do it any more, but the time that it gets to that point will probably be the time I give it up.
The Australians are known for being fierce sledgers. What’s the worst they’ve called you? During my first game I went out to bat and was told I couldn’t bowl – but my arm was broken then and I actually found it quite funny. I enjoy that side of the game and I like it when the boys get fired up; there have been comments about haircuts and all sorts of stuff. I don’t say a lot, and because of that I don’t get a lot back. But that might be because I’m a quick bowler.
Before you were a Black Cap you were a constable in Christchurch. What do you make of the recent PR hammering that the police have taken? One poor situation will always tarnish an organisation, but 99 percent of the people I met in the police were terrific. I think that the job that they do is not easy – it’s strenuous and it’s very tough. They do see a different side of society, and until you’ve gone out and seen what they have to deal with, you should reserve judgment.
You’ve been clocked bowling at up to 155.1kph during games. Are speed cameras at cricket grounds distracting? When I first started, they were – but you probably see that with every player who comes into international cricket. If they haven’t been on the gun, they’re all excited and just want to bowl quicker and quicker. But I also think it’s great for fans, because they can see what sort of gas people have.
And do you think speed cameras on roadsides are also a good idea? Mate, I do. There’s a lot of hype about “revenue collecting”, but you don’t get a ticket if you don’t go fast. If I get a ticket – I’ve had a couple, and I’m as grumpy as anyone else when I get one – instead of blaming people for putting the camera somewhere, the bottom line is that it’s my own fault, isn’t it?
CHAPPELL-HADLEE SERIES: NEW ZEALAND vs AUSTRALIA, Sky Sport 1: Friday (December 14), 4.15pm; Sunday, 4.15pm; Thursday, 11.45am.
