Bond, Shane Bond

[Athlai]

Justin Vaughan said Bond had approached him about quitting tests.

But then again, after the Bond-ICL debacle, I'll never believe a word Vaughan says again.

Yeah no doubt Bond considered it but what irks me is Rich's constant implication that Bond had gone out and said it.

Hasn't Oram also seriously considered quitting Tests?

 

[Zinzan]

Yeah no doubt Bond considered it but what irks me is Rich's constant implication that Bond had gone out and said it.

Hasn't Oram also seriously considered quitting Tests?

To be fair on Richard, I'm pretty sure Bond did publicly state he'd give up Test after his injury against SA in late 2007. Could probably find the an article confirming that someone online, but can't be arsed

 

[Athlai]

Na mate we searched for it and it didn't exist, had a lengthy argument with him about it.

Though in Richard's defense it isn't a ridiculous notion, but Bond never came out and publicly said he was giving up Test cricket. Thats all I'm saying.

 

[Blakey]

Regardless of what he said it didn't say - Bond should never play Test match cricket again. Unless of course he wants his return to international cricket to be, much like the last one/s, brief in the extreme.

The guy is 34(?), hasn't played top level cricket in over a year, has a history of breaking down, had his spine fused to continue his career, melts in the heat, oh and have I mentioned - the guy is nearing his mid thirties.

Realistically he has 2 maybe 3 more seasons playing for NZ. Black Caps suck at test cricket, so he should focus on the world cup. In the meantime, he can help foster NZ test cricket's up and coming fast bowlers.

You'd think with his natural understanding of fast bowling, he would be able to impart some fantastic knowledge to the youngsters coming through, while also, sharing what he knows about maintaining fitness and how to adapt technique should they need to change it due to - dare I say it - back injuries.

Domestic season - not sure if in coincides with the test calendar - however, when have NZ players had a chance to face premium world class fast bowling? Any batsman worth their salt would want the opportunity to face him, to learn from him.

Bond is far too valuable to throw him into tests, which are few and far between for this team.

 

[Athlai]

We have a Test unit full of work horses - O'Brien, Vettori, Martin
I'm sure we can get Bond bowling short short spells.

 

[Polo23]

I hope Bond plays tests again. This whole notion of "He shouldn't play test because he might get injured" is rubbish. Yeah, he might get injured, he may also get run over by a bus crossing the street. ODI's will likely be gone soon so that leaves him playing cricket's version of baseball, woopdy doo.

Get him into the test lineup ASAP and lets see if his body can hold up. If it doesn't then so be it, we're in the same position as we already were.

 

[TT Boy]

He was able to play four day cricket for Hampshire whilst on ICL 'retirement', so he can still physically do it. And the county schedule is far more intensive than six test matches in a summer.

 

[Uppercut]

He was able to play four day cricket for Hampshire whilst on ICL 'retirement', so he can still physically do it. And the county schedule is far more intensive than six test matches in a summer.

Spent most of the season injured, mate.

 

[TT Boy]

Spent most of the season injured, mate.

He only had a short deal with Hampshire.

 

[Blakey]

Snap.

May get hit by a bus? What a piss weak argument. History shows he is more likely to break his back again.

 

[Richard]

Haha, someone debates Richards opinion so he calls them a troll. Poor.

Absolutely nothing to do with debating my opinion - people who are willing to do so in a mature and sensible way (who number most of this forum) I'm quite happy to have rational discussion with. There's ample evidence that ol' "Polo23" doesn't fit that category, however, and if you look at his posts in reply to me over his time here you'll see why.

 

[Richard]

Also Rich Bond NEVER SAID HE WAS QUITTING TESTS NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU SAY HE DID.

You are just speculating in that regard, nor have you seen him since his return so should hardly rule him out.

Bond said he was considering quitting tests after the SA injury iirc, but that was only an idea and he said it straight after his injury, so he was probably mega pissed too, hardly the time for a big call like that.

I consider there's more than enough evidence that Bond would have retired from Tests at the end of calendar-year 2007 but for the intervention of the ICL, even though it isn't proveable beyond reasonable doubt. And I think that would've been the wise decision from his POV.

BTW Athers you didn't know I've not seen him since his return, though you do now, because I'm going to tell you so: I've not seen him since his return.

 

[Richard]

Hasn't Oram also seriously considered quitting Tests?

Indeed he has, and I'd far from rule that out either.

 

[Richard]

We have a Test unit full of work horses - O'Brien, Vettori, Martin
I'm sure we can get Bond bowling short short spells.

That's what England always used to say about Flintoff. Reality is when you're in the heat of battle, a match is at break-point, and you have one bowler who's head-and-shoulders above the rest of your attack (as Bond and Flintoff both have the potential to be and have been on far more of the occasions they've appeared in Tests than not), you bowl him more than the rest.

"Get your best bowler by far bowling in short spells" just doesn't work, in my experience. Nice pre-match idea; impossible to actually do.

 

[Athlai]

BTW Athers you didn't know I've not seen him since his return, though you do now, because I'm going to tell you so: I've not seen him since his return.

Said that due to other English members mentioning difficulty of watching said series.

 

[aussie]

And in Bond's case there's crossover between what makes him so good when he is fit and what causes him to be injured so often. His action, the way he bends his back back, allows him some amount of spring and adds an extra few mph, but also puts massive strain on the spine and causes all the stress-fractures and such that he's had.

The "if Bond didn't keep breaking down he'd be one of the best" mantra is an invalid one AFAIC. To have much of a chance of doing that he'd have to do something that would probably lessen his effectiveness. Bond had two choices: be a decent fast-medium bowler who kept fitness or be an exceptional out-and-out fast man who only appeared every now and then. Either option would have been fair enough, and he opted for the latter. But in my book Bond could not be and would never have been up with the best to have played the game, because he could not be both exceptional and injury-free simualtaneously for very long.

Make no mistake, I love watching him bowl well and love the knowledge that if I'm watching a ODI which he's playing I've got a damn good chance of seeing him bowl well. He's a bowler who, when he is fit, has just about everything you could want in a seamer, except perhaps for the fact that inswinger rather than outswinger to RHB is his stock-ball. But I'm well aware that it's going to be a pretty fleeting experience.

This makes alot sense indeed. But to a level the "if Bond didn't keep breaking down he'd be one of the best" mantra is valid to some degree, since i dont agree that he would have ahd to change his action substantially to have been able to had an injury free career.

Look at our own Freddie & Akhtar. Unlike Bond, Tyson & Jones he managed to last longer between breakdowns, but when they returned they never needed to change their actions.

 

[Richard]

Said that due to other English members mentioning difficulty of watching said series.

You don't know where I've been for the last 3 weeks - for all you know I could've been somewhere which has expertise in pirating coverage from obscure centres.

Good guesswork though.

(EDIT: let's make clear, BTW, that I haven't, nor do I condone piracy of any form of anything.)

 

[Athlai]

You don't know where I've been for the last 3 weeks - for all you know I could've been somewhere which has expertise in pirating coverage from obscure centres.

Good guesswork though.

Pirrraaaacccccyyy

 

[Richard]

This makes alot sense indeed. But to a level the "if Bond didn't keep breaking down he'd be one of the best" mantra is valid to some degree, since i dont agree that he would have ahd to change his action substantially to have been able to had an injury free career.

Look at our own Freddie & Akhtar. Unlike Bond, Tyson & Jones he managed to last longer between breakdowns, but when they returned they never needed to change their actions.

Flintoff is in almost exactly the same boat as Bond. The reason he kept breaking down had a lot to do with his action, which he steadfastly refused to change. The difference there was that the change which would have improved things wouldn't, neccessarily, have made him a lesser bowler. But good coaches identified that Flintoff would have trouble with injury at a pretty young age, and it duly happened.

Shoaib Akhtar is a bit different, and more like someone like Bruce Reid or Craig McDermott or Dion Nash - just had a weak body not really built for bowling quickly.

 

[Manee]

Flintoff is in almost exactly the same boat as Bond. The reason he kept breaking down had a lot to do with his action, which he steadfastly refused to change. The difference there was that the change which would have improved things wouldn't, neccessarily, have made him a lesser bowler.

It may have simply not been possible for him to make the necessary changes and bowl with any sort of pace and accuracy. You mustn't underestimate the value of the natural bowling action. Slight changes may be necessary and may indeed help, but the natural action for many, is all that feels comfortable.

Shoaib Akhtar is a bit different, and more like someone like Bruce Reid or Craig McDermott or Dion Nash - just had a weak body not really built for bowling quickly.

I'd disagree here, Akhtar's hyperflexibility in all of his joints is ideal for a fast bowler and gives him the sort of elastic stretch and snap effect that could make his pace unmatched, in his prime.