A breath of fresh air since his introduction to Test cricket on the Australian tour of 2001-02, Shane Bond has given New Zealand a rare fast-bowling option. He is among the fastest bowlers in the world, and with his arrival the potency of the attack has increased. The quickest New Zealander to reach 50 one-day international wickets, including a national best of 6 for 22 against Australia in the 2003 World Cup, his potential is only limited by his susceptibility to injury, having suffered crippling stress-fractures in his feet and back. These injuries forced him to miss out on all cricket from May 2003, including a proposed stint with Warwickshire in the English County Championship that year. However, after passing a fitness test, he was picked for the tour of England in 2004, but flew home during the second Test after failing to recover from his back injury. His fast, inswinging yorker commands the respect of the best batsmen in the game - but only when he's fit. He took 13 wickets at 9.23 against Zimbabwe in 2005, including 10 for 99 in the second Test at Bulawayo - his first ten-wicket haul - and in the process became the quickest among all New Zealand bowlers to get to 50 Test wickets, achieving the mark in only his 12th match. Unsurprisingly, he again broke down and was out of the game for another nine months with a knee injury. Another comeback was cut short when back problems kept him out of the first Champions Trophy game in 2006 but he returned again and was destructive in the CB Series in Australia. His sore back surfaced once more in Australia but he overcame it and continued his outstanding form against the world champions. His 5 for 23 in the first game of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in February 2007 augured well for Bond's second World Cup. He picked up 13 wickets in the tournament and finished as the most economical bowler. However, frequent injuries interrupted Bond's career and the fast bowler joined the lucrative Indian Cricket League in 2008. The New Zealand board reacted to this move by terminating Bond's national contract although they did not rule out the possibility of his return.
Cricinfo staff January 2008

• Bond misses out on Canterbury contract (Aug 7, 2008)
  
• Yorkshire leapfrog Somerset to go top (Jun 9, 2008)
  
• Overjoyed overseas (May 15, 2008)
  
• Bopara starts with a bang (May 5, 2008)
  
• New Zealand Cricket misled me - Bond (Apr 29, 2008)
  

View the full list of 200 related articles

May 31, 2008 Collision course: Shane Bond and Martin van Jaarsveld cross paths © Getty Images

Apr 16, 2008 Shane Bond is congratulated on his maiden wicket for Hampshire © Getty Images

Apr 16, 2008 Shane Bond in his delivery stride for Hampshire © Getty Images

View the full list of 124 related images