Shane Bond retires from all cricket

Shane Bond has announced his retirement from all forms of the game, less than a year after making his international comeback from the ICL wilderness. Bond ended his Test career in December, when he felt that his body could not handle the rigours of the five-day game, and he has now decided to step away from the shorter formats as well.

After returning home from the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, where he collected five wickets at an average of 29, Bond said he was unwilling to compromise his own standards for the sake of prolonging his career. Bond turns 35 next month and he will leave the game nearly nine years after his international debut, with 259 victims across all formats for his country.

"I know the time is right for me to step down," Bond said. "I have given it everything when playing for the Black Caps. I will miss the camaraderie because it has been a privilege to play along such a great bunch of guys who are so committed to do their best for New Zealand. Playing with pride for the Black Caps over the years has meant so much to me.

"I dreamed of playing for New Zealand when I was six. The reality of what has unfolded was more than I could ever hope for and I have been extremely proud to represent New Zealand. I am going to miss a lot of this but I know now is the time to bow out. I am very keen at some stage to put something back into the game in New Zealand."

Persistent injuries meant Bond played far fewer internationals than he or New Zealand would have liked, and he departs with 87 wickets at 22.09 in 18 Tests, 147 at 20.88 in 82 ODIs, and 25 at 21.72 in 20 Twenty20 internationals. His absence from late 2007 until 2009 due to his ICL contract also deprived New Zealand of their best fast bowler.

Despite his impressive record in a small number of Tests, Bond's impact was felt as much in one-day cricket, where for a time he was the No. 1 ranked bowler in the world. His highlights included 6 for 23 in a World Cup game against Australia in 2003, when Ricky Ponting's men went through the tournament undefeated.

A genuinely quick bowler, Bond took a one-day international hat-trick, also against the Australians, and helped New Zealand to a World Cup semi-final in 2007. In an interview with Cricinfo this week, Bond said when he quit Tests he was unwilling to slow his pace and reduce the wear and tear on his body in an effort to extend his career, and he has now added 20- and 50-over cricket to that list.

"I find it difficult to hold back," Bond said earlier this week. "I just go hard. It hurt me. But I wanted to keep playing. I have had enough injuries. I am sick and tired of being in rehab, and if I did that one more time I would've been probably finished. I wanted to finish playing [Tests] rather than get injured and fall by the side. I'd rather have a shorter career and be successful than stretch it out and let my performance drop."

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, has felt more than most the regular absences of Bond over the years, as the other main weapon in the attack. Vettori said it was disappointing to lose Bond so soon after his comeback.

"For me personally it is a big loss," Vettori said. "I think he could still be a really good player for us for some time to come. But I know how much effort he puts in to stay on the park. He knows his body and he knows what he needs to do to prepare for international cricket. Sadly for us he has decided his time has come to an end."

Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, played against Bond in his final year for Auckland, when Bond was enjoying his first season for Canterbury in 1996-97. Vaughan said Bond would be a big loss for New Zealand.

"We shall all miss Shane in the international arena," Vaughan said. "His speed and ability struck fear into batsmen from every team in world cricket. He has been a real match-winner. Shane has had an inspirational presence about him and has been a great role model for younger team-mates. Shane will leave a huge gap that will be almost impossible to replace. We are saddened by his decision, but we support him and wish him all the best in his future."

Not what NZ cricket needs, but he always was prone to breaking down.

A real shame. Was hoping to see him one last time in next WC.

Was such a treat to watch when he was fully fit. Such smooth action, such accuracy at such pace.

All we can talk now that had he been fit enough.........................

Soft Snoozer policeman?

who do NZ have left in the fast bowling brigade?

In all seriousness, well played Shane Bond. Took a wicket in every one of the 32 Test innings he bowled.

Class act that gave Aus some serious hurry-up (at least in the JAMODIs). Shame to have a potentially brilliant career truncated by injury.

Took a wicket in every one of the 32 Test innings he bowled.

Must've been a part of a very select club.

SG wrote:

Took a wicket in every one of the 32 Test innings he bowled.

Must've been a part of a very select club.

He leads the list of 4 players who have managed the feat (having played at least 10 Test innings).

Wicket in every Test innings (minimum 10 Test innings)

Inn Bowler
32 SE Bond (NZ)
16 JJ Ferris (Aus/Eng)
14 BN Schultz (SAf)
10 AH Gray (WI)

Cheers, skully.

His record would probably never be broken.

Hats off Bond, probably the most talented bowler of his generation.

Shane Bond - very talented but he has a heart as big as a pea.

He loved the JAMODIs where he only had to bowl ten overs or a Test Match on a greentop. But any sign of a road where he might have to work hard for thirty plus overs & the weakling would find some pathetic "injury" excuse to pull out of the game.

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Yep, WW, he groomed his averages nicely over the years . . .

Christ, i'd have at least gone through the motions on half rat power to milk the IPL for a couple more seasons...

But he's only retired from cricket, JKL, he's still available for the IPL . . .

From the very little we saw of him Shane Bond had the makings of an all-time great. He was that good.

Unfortunately we'll never know. Some people just get injured a lot - it's a shame when they happen to be a sportsman of Bond's class.

Funny about the timing of those injuries!

Zimmy wrote:Yes, it is. It was funny that he always seemed to get injured when a test series against Australia was being played.

Tell me Wallace, what is Bond's test record against Australia?

Bond played just 2 tests against Australia taking 3 wkts @ 96.33

Zimmy wrote:Thank you, WW

No worries, Zim!


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Those two matches against Australia were his first two tests.

Yes & he pulled out of every subsequent series against them.

Weak as!

Finally he listened to old Jonners ....

what a bowler...

Could have been a great player if he'd avoided so many injuries, and NZ haven't had too many of them. Top quality fast bowlers don't seem to come along very often these days so it's a shame when they're not able to completely fulfil their potential for that reason.

Shane Bond vs Australia in international cricket:

50 wickets at 1043 = 20.86

Batsmen most often dismissed:

7 Ricky Ponting
4 Brad Haddin
3 Adam Gilchrist
3 Damien Martyn
2 Steve Waugh
2 Mike Hussey
2 Matthew Hayden
2 Cameron White
2 Brett Lee
2 Michael Clarke
2 Nathan Bracken
2 Ian Harvey
2 Brad Hogg
2 Andrew Symonds
2 Phil Jacques
2 David Warner

You will find that nearly all those wickets were in limited overs matches. Bond liked limited overs matches cos he didn't have to bowl a lot of overs. But, he didn't test matches on roads cos he was a big sook.

I was brought up listening to tales of great fast bowlers who would keep bowling despite injury or illness. Tales such as that of Johnny Hayes (one of Bond's fellow countryman) bowling in India in this match. Hayes vomited repeatedly during the innings but he kept going. What would Shane Bond have done in a similar situation? I reckon he would have pulled the pin at lunchtime on the first day complaining about an itchy back. If he took his shirt off his teammates could what was causing the itch - a big yellow streak.

The Shane Bonds of the sporting world disgust me. All that talent & no guts.

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What about Bruce Reid?

Hayes' feat reminded me of Eddie Paynter:

Perhaps the most famous of his Test appearances came against Australia, on the "Bodyline tour" of 1932/33. At Brisbane Paynter was taken to hospital suffering from tonsillitis, yet with England in difficulty at 216/6 in reply to Australia's 340, came out to bat. After spending the night in hospital, he made his way to 83 and helped his team to an unlikely first-innings lead, and though he only fielded for a couple of hours, returned for the second innings and had the honour of hitting the winning runs - with a six off McCabe. Paynter averaged a fine 61.33 over his five innings on this tour.

But bowling when seriously ill is in some ways even tougher.