Fast, fearsome and frustratingly fragile, Shane Bond will be remembered as much for his misfortune with injuries as for his wonderful ability. Bond was New Zealand's best pace bowler in the post-Hadlee era, but missed more games than he played.
At times it seemed less like injuries interrupting Bond's career as Bond's occasional cricket matches interrupting his downtime. The most serious was a back problem in 2003 that led to nearly two years out and an operation in which his spine was fused with titanium wire. There were also various issues with knees, feet and other body parts, but Bond's desire to play could never be questioned. Some of the trouble came from his unwillingness to reduce his intensity; had he been happy to drop his pace and take things easier, he might have played more cricket.
That he didn't take that path said much about his competitive nature; the game always lifted a notch when he had the ball. His athletic action was geared towards inswing and his 150-plus kph efforts meant the ball would swing late. Toe-crushing yorkers were a specialty and he feasted on the world's best batsmen; Ricky Ponting fell to Bond in all of the first six ODIs they played against each other. Bond always lifted against Australia, and it was a sign of his great skill that he took 44 ODI wickets at 15.79 against them. That included a hat-trick in Hobart in 2006-07 and one of Bond's personal favourites, his 6 for 23 against the eventual champions in the 2003 World Cup.
He helped New Zealand to a World Cup semi-final four years later, before signing with the ICL, which led to his being ostracised from international cricket for two years. He returned in late 2009 with enough fuel for one final match-winning performance in the Dunedin Test against Pakistan, but within a year had retired from all forms of the game as his body told him enough was enough. Brydon Coverdale
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Timeline
January 20, 1997 Fair first-class debut
Makes his first-class debut for Canterbury against Central Districts in Rangiora. Takes 2 for 42 in his first bowling effort; his first victim is his future New Zealand team-mate Mathew Sinclair.
November 22, 2001 Worst team to debut against
Enters the Test arena against an imposing Australia, who pile on 8 for 558 dec. in Hobart. Traps Steve Waugh lbw for 0, but finishes with unflattering figures of 1 for 135.
January-February, 2002 Shorter format, snappier debut
Has a more successful ODI debut, with 3 for 53 as New Zealand successfully defend 199. Has Mark Waugh caught behind in his first over. A month later, finishes the VB Series as the leading wicket-taker with 21 at 16.38.
Rattles through the Australia top order and finishes with 6 for 23 in a World Cup Super Sixes match, only to see his side lose as Brett Lee is in devastating form, too. Later ends the tournament as New Zealand's leading wicket-taker, with 17 at 17.94.
May 11, 2003 Good news before a bad, bad news
Beats Geoff Allott by one game to become the fastest New Zealander to 50 ODI wickets when he bowls Faisal Iqbal in his 27th ODI - in Dambulla in the Bank Alfalah Cup. Sustains a back injury during the game, leading to major surgery and a two-year lay-off from international cricket.
March 19-22, 2005 Recovery on track
Proves he can be a useful lower-order batsman, striking a first-class century for Canterbury against Northern Districts in Christchurch. Follows his 100 with five wickets for good measure as his recovery continues.
On his first international tour in two years, secures his first 10-wicket haul in a Test, with 6 for 51 and 4 for 48 against a wobbly Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. When he has Brendan Taylor caught behind he reaches 50 wickets in his 12th Test, making him the quickest New Zealander to the mark.
August 26, 2005 Back to Bulawayo
Days later takes 6 for 19 against India, bettering his own best and setting a new record for the best figures in an ODI by a New Zealander. Is a replacement in the match for Nathan Astle, under the now obsolete Supersub rule.
March 12-13, 2006 Last-innings heroics
Stops West Indies securing what looks like a certain victory when he takes 5 for 69 in the final innings of the Auckland Test. His victims include Brian Lara, bowled first ball, and New Zealand win by 27 runs. Chasing 291 West Indies are 1 for 157 at one stage, before he strikes.
Is forced home from the tour of South Africa with a knee injury that keeps him out of action for several months.
January 14, 2007 Power of three
Removes Cameron White, Andrew Symonds and Nathan Bracken in the 50th over in Hobart to become the second New Zealand bowler to take an ODI hat-trick.
January 23, 2007 Sprints to 100
With Monty Panesar's wicket in Adelaide, his 54th match, becomes the fastest New Zealander to reach 100 ODI wickets and the second fastest of all time, behind Saqlain Mushtaq.
Collects 13 wickets at the World Cup in the West Indies as New Zealand reach a semi-final, but has an off day as Sri Lanka knock them out. Takes 1 for 59 in his 10 overs.
September 10, 2007 Is selected in ICC's ODI Team of the Year
November 10, 2007 Injury revisits
Breaks down during the Wanderers Test, and is ruled out of the rest of the tour of South Africa. The abdominal tear doesn't heal in time for next month's Chappell-Hadlee series either.
After continuous speculation, the Indian Cricket League (ICL) confirms that Bond had joined the league. Twenty days later, NZC terminate his New Zealand contract. Says he joined ICL to secure his and his family's future.
April 16, 2008 Pariah can play
Banned from all official cricket, and after a long tussle and period of uncertainty, finally makes his Hampshire debut, takes seven Sussex wickets for 66 on the first day, his best figures in first-class cricket..
July 7, 2009 Some way back
Although he has played for Canterbury in the domestic season, there has till now been no way back for him to New Zealand back. Then comes the BCCI's amnesty scheme, welcoming back players who sever ties with ICL. Turns out NZC is eager to have him back, giving him a national contract right away, and on this day selecting him for the ODI leg of the tour of Sri Lanka.
Finally gets to wear a New Zealand cap again, in a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Is hit for four boundaries in his first over back, but goes for just 11 in his next three as New Zealand win by three runs.
November 24-28, 2009 Lethal in whites
In his first Test in more than two years, bowls New Zealand to victory against Pakistan, taking 5 for 107 and 3 for 46. Rolls back the years with consistent sharp pace, bouncers, inswing and legcutters. Tears an abdominal muscle by the end of it, and is ruled out for the rest of the series.
December 23, 3009 Bye bye, whites
The dreaded declaration arrives. Announces retirement from Tests: "Unfortunately my body just won't let me continue to play at that level, given the workload and demands of Test cricket." With 87 wickets from just 18 Tests to his name, he is the biggest loss of our times.
After New Zealand's exit from the ICC World Twenty20, Bond returns home and announces his decision to stay away from all cricket, including the shorter formats.
After an inauspicious Test debut in Hobart, few could have predicted Bond would soon become arguably the bowler most feared by Australian batsmen. The first indications come in his ODI debut that same summer. Defending a modest 199 in the opening match of the VB Series, New Zealand have their work cut out. But Bond has Mark Waugh caught behind in the first over, and then removes Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan to set up an unlikely win and begin his happy rivalry with the world champions.
6 for 23 v Australia, Port Elizabeth, 2003
Australia have a formidable record entering this World Cup Super Sixes game - seven matches at the tournament for seven wins. But Bond knows a thing or two about his opponents, with 16 wickets at 12.93 from his five previous outings against them. New Zealand decide to bowl and Bond sends the top order packing, before claiming three more victims in his second spell. He finishes with the best figures by a New Zealander in an ODI, but his team-mates crumble and they lose by 96 runs.
6 for 51 and 4 for 48 v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 2005-06
Nobody is quite sure what to expect from Bond in his first series for more than two years. Would he ever be the same after a major back surgery? He is hardly required in the first Test against Zimbabwe as the hosts capitulate twice, but in the second match he reignites his awesome firepower. Zimbabwe's top order have no idea and the middle order even less, and at one stage in the first innings Bond has 5 for 11. Match figures of 10 for 99 - he has never before taken 10 wickets in a first-class game - secure an innings victory.
Less than a fortnight after his Test 10-for and at the same venue, Bond confirms he really is back. He betters his ODI best with 6 for 19 against India and his victims included the handy trio of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag. His searching opening spell leaves India at 44 for 8, chasing 216. A superb rearguard action follows, and just when it looks like JP Yadav and Irfan Pathan might steal the game, Bond returns to break the partnership and ensure his blistering start is not wasted.
2 for 57 and 5 for 69 v West Indies, Auckland, 2005-06
With Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga's opening partnership still intact and 148 on the board, West Indies appear to be cruising towards a win in in the Auckland Test. It is the fourth day and they need 291 to win, but when Nathan Astle breaks the partnership Bond steps in. First he forces Ramnaresh Sarwan to retire-hurt with a brutal bouncer that crashes into his helmet. With the next ball Bond rattles Brian Lara's off stump. After a rest, Bond returns with three wickets in three overs, sealing the 27-run win with an off-cutter that bowls the No. 11 Jerome Taylor.
5 for 107 and 3 for 43 v Pakistan, Dunedin, 2009-10
Coming back from a two-year exile thanks to his involvement in the ICL, Bond hardly holds back, bowling bouncers, yorkers, legcutters consistently at 150kph and thereabouts, setting up New Zealand's first Test win in more than a year. Finally back in New Zealand whites, hurling that red thing in anger on a flat pitch, Bond - with pure pace - rattles the Pakistan middle order during a seven-over spell of 3 for 25 in the first innings, a spell instrumental to their 97-run first-innings lead, despite debutant Umar Akmal's counterattacking century. New Zealand collapse in the second innings, and Pakistan need 56 with five wickets in hand when Bond gets Akmal out with his second return catch of the match, a wicket that starts a decisive collapse.
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