Bulfin refines action in quest for NZ recall (26 August 1999)

26 August 1999

Bulfin refines action in quest for NZ recall

Geoff Longley

Speedster Carl Bulfin says working at the New Zealand Cricket Academy at Lincoln is helping to get his bowling on track for a possible return to the Black Caps.

Bulfin has come to Christchurch to work at refining his bowling technique, which it is hoped will reduce the injuries which troubled him last season.

The Blenheim-based Bulfin was included in the New Zealand team for the World Cup, but omitted from the party which toured England.

NZC helped him stay on and play with the Nottinghamshire county second XI, but he departed after the first match, citing an unprofessional set-up, comments which prompted a rebuke from NZC chief executive Chris Doig.

Bulfin believed his remarks were misconstrued and his main problem was on-going trouble with injury to his left ankle (landing foot).

He has been working with NZC Academy director Dayle Hadlee and physiotherapist Graham Nuttridge to minimise the injury risk.

"Things are going pretty good and I'm running to the crease pretty well now," he said yesterday.

Hadlee said Bulfin had a rather mixed action and had been working on the angle of his run-up, the direction of his front foot, and getting the alignment of his body into a straighter position.

"It's a matter of trying to align all the body parts in the right direction."

Bulfin had started working in England with NZC's technical adviser Ashley Ross on his bowling technique and was continuing that with Hadlee.

Bulfin said he would also be working on strengthening the ankle.

He was aware that several of the New Zealand bowlers - Simon Doull, Geoff Allott, and Chris Cairns - had injury problems to varying degrees.

"There must be a couple of question marks there and I'd like to think I'm still in with a chance - but there's a long season ahead."

Bulfin is more specifically aiming at appearing for adopted province Wellington in its match against the New Zealand Academy, scheduled to start on September 28.

He hopes to remain with the Academy group until then and is also considering playing club cricket in Christchurch for Sydenham during October before play starts in Welling-ton.

New Zealand selection panel convener Ross Dykes said that Bulfin will be "considered on merit" when the new selection panel on Saturday debates the national cricket team to tour India in October.

"We can't keep holding something over his head and I would hope we are past things like that," Dykes said.

"He'll be considered like everyone else."

Had Bulfin stayed in England, he would have been a logical replacement for Doull when he was invalided out of the tour before the third test.

Instead, Central Districts paceman Andrew Penn was plucked from league cricket in London and took eight wickets and scored 69 not out in his only first-class appearance.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)