From net bowler to 'X-factor' - Matt Fisher on the cusp of a potential Test debut

Matt Fisher wasn't supposed to be in New Zealand's Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Zimbabwe. Having just worked his way back from injury, the 25-year-old Northern Districts fast bowler was building up his loads for the New Zealand A tour of South Africa, which begins next month, instead.

But, with a number of the top-rung fast bowlers away in T20 leagues and county cricket over the winter, Fisher was called up to New Zealand's preparatory camp in the lead-up to the Zimbabwe tour as a net bowler, and new head coach Rob Walter was so impressed with his raw pace - he can hit 140kph and is regarded as one of the fastest in New Zealand - that he fast-tracked Fisher into the Test squad, Walter's first since taking charge. Walter had also previously coached Fisher on an A tour to India in 2022 and has been quite big on out-and-out fast bowlers.

"Yeah, he [Walter] just pulled me aside for a chat. He said he was going to have a chat with me at the start of the camp," Fisher recalled after winning his first call-up. "Had a bit to do with him with the A tour to India a couple of years ago, so I thought he was just going to catch up and see how my body was and just have a yarn.

"And then just said he was interested in taking me to Zimbabwe and, yeah, to be honest, it's probably just a blur from there. But, nah, it's pretty epic stuff!"

With tearaway Ben Sears injured, Fisher has been called up to provide New Zealand's attack with express pace. Walter believes that Fisher can be an "X-factor" bowler.

"Raw pace is highly regarded everywhere in the world, and generally it brings a point of difference to your team," Walter said. "So, for me, that's the main thing. We've got Will O'Rourke, who's probably the top end of speed in our team, and to have someone who can then come and back him up if needs be is very important from a squad point of view. But, as we build a battery of fast bowlers, we're very blessed in the country at the moment to have a large number of really good, strong fast bowlers.

"And we're just adding Fish into that mix now, giving them a little bit of touring experience, a bit of taste of what it means to be part of the Black Caps, and that just bodes well for our stable of fast bowlers."

Like Sears' career, Fisher's has been a litany of setbacks, from back issues and ankle injuries to shin splits more recently. Fisher played just three matches for Northern Districts in the 2024-25 Plunket Shield, taking 14 wickets at an average of 17.71. But New Zealand's coaches and his team-mates see potential and a high ceiling. Overall, Fisher has picked up 51 wickets in 14 first-class matches at an average of 24.11.

"Great to see Fish [in the Test side]. He's had his injury troubles in the past, but, you know, in the last couple of seasons, at least for ND, he's been bowling really quick and with great control," Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand ODI captain and Fisher's team-mate at Northern Districts, said. "I think he really impressed the boys back in New Zealand with that. When he arrives [in Zimbabwe], he will be pretty fired up and ready to go. For someone to be able to bounce back from injuries and potentially make a Test debut will be pretty cool for him."

Fisher's emergence is a positive sign for a New Zealand attack that is in transition following the Trent Boult-Tim Southee era. With Kyle Jamieson also on a personal break for the birth of his first child, New Zealand have included two uncapped quicks in their squad. Apart from Fisher, Jacob Duffy is the other new face in the Test side. From having grown up watching Boult, Southee and Neil Wagner lead New Zealand's line over the years, Fisher could potentially take his first step towards emulating his heroes in Zimbabwe.

"Yeah, I grew up watching Bolt, Southee and Wags [Neil Wagner] and they're just kind of all I remember," Fisher said. "Probably started watching [them] when I was a teenager and just loved watching them bowl. You know, they've all different skill sets. They all just slotted in and, I suppose, worked with each other beautifully.

"Yeah, they're the reason why the Black Caps have the name they do now. I think they're the backbone, as any cricketer, fast bowler would say. They are the engine room of the team. So, yeah, if I could have half the career they had, I'd be more than happy."

Fisher was part of the 2018 New Zealand Under-19 batch that has produced the likes of Rachin Ravindra and Finn Allen. Fisher was New Zealand Under-19s' second-highest wicket-taker, with seven strikes in six games in that World Cup.

Then came the injuries. Fisher was dealing with a stress fracture in his back through much of his time in Dunedin, where he studied law at the University of Otago. He has been contracted to Northern Districts since 2018. Over the years, Fisher has evolved, and has learnt to deal with the highs and lows of life as a fast bowler.

"You're getting injured some days. You don't feel good some days. Everything's going for four or six and I suppose you're just chasing those good days," he said. "So, in cricket, you have more bad days than good. So, I think it's just that thought that each time you go out and play, you're going to have a good day and, like, 'it's going to be your day' and you're going to prove yourself.

"So, yeah, I love it. I wish I was a batter as well, but there's no better feeling when you've got a new ball in hand and you're just feeling nice, wind behind you, and trying to bowl fast and break the game open for your team."

It's been five months since Fisher had experienced that feeling in a competitive game. Fit and firing at the New Zealand nets, he is now ready to make the most of his unexpected Test call-up.