For New Zealand he was the next Sir Richard Hadlee. But for the cricketing world he was Bond. The enigma called Shane Bond. 18 Tests 87 Wickets 22.09 average – 82 ODIs 147 Wickets 20.88 average. These numbers are more than enough to know how dangerous Shane Bond was in his cricketing career and could have been the greatest bowler in the history of cricket if he had played longer. Arguably no one in history has such numbers with his name and without a doubt no one will ever in the future. Only two names come into the mind when someone talks about New Zealand cricket history Sir Richard Hadlee and Shane Bond with the impact these two had over the game during his career.
Cricket is a game ruled by the two aspects, batsman or bowler. Many players have come and gone but only few remain into the minds of the fans for their impact over the game the way they have changed the game while few talents remained into the headlines because of their aura and extraordinary talent. Mostly the player in the world would fit into the above frame of abilities. But there is one such frame which makes the fans like me felt bad when a player has everything in his arsenal like potential and temperament to do justice with the bowling but ends up with a series of injuries which either change his bowling action or end his career. In cricket there are few names but the name which comes into the mind first is Bond Shane Bond.
I am fortunate enough and privileged to be born in the era of players like Brett Lee, Dale Steyn, Wasim Akram and Allan Donald. But putting up the Shane Bond among others in the same league is complete disrespect to him as no one has the impact like Shane Bond like before or will ever in cricket. A career around injuries but still justified the tag of most feared bowler in era of batting friendly conditions or in the era when only predator Aussies were into the headlines all the times. But Shane Bond was the warrior from which even the Australian have been feared to go face-off.
Witnessing the player like Mathew Hayden wears the toe guard over his spikes to save himself from his insane Yorkers – if you're putting such a player under so much terror then you can realize what about others. Shane Bond had the things in his arsenal which no one in history could have or even in the future. While injury issues have started with his back which later on moved to every part of his body which was the reason for the unexpected Exit from cricket. Shane Bond never compromised with his speed and destroyed every batting squad who have looked world-class or come his way.
Shane Bond had started his international cricket a pretty late making his way to first-class cricket at the age of 21 the expectations were not high from the bowler. But when Bond intimidated the batsman with his tight line and lengths along with sheer pace which provided late inswing – he was the complete different bowler of his time. In just a quick period of time Shane Bond had turned himself into the most destructive bowlers of his era.
Bond's ability to bowl at 150kph consistently makes him rarest things in world cricket. That Hattrick against Australians in their prime – Bond was unplayable with flavour of pace and late swing in his variations. Although most of the time he had spent on recovering from the injuries which was the reason for the tragic end of career of most gifted bowlers in cricket. Shane Bond was the rare breed of cricketers and a magician complete of fast bowling anyone could have thought of and third fastest bowler in the history to reach 100 wickets milestone in One-days. Wished he had played longer to make world-class batsman dance on his tunes.
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