The name is BOND: Kiwi announces retirement

No, we are not talking about James Bond here. Like Hollywood, cricket too, has a BOND! And it’s none other than New Zealand fast bowler – Shane Bond.

After retiring from test cricket in December last year, Bond has now announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. His retirement came as a result of his constant injuries and the failure to overcome them.

Shane Bond: With the license to kill !

The Kiwis had to wait for a decade after Richard Hadlee’s retirement, as many other bowlers were tried, tested and returned. None were as capable as this man from Canterbury. Shane Bond emerged as one of the finest and fastest bowlers New Zealand could ever produce. With a staggering speed of 150 kmph, Bond could well deliver the in-swinging, destructive Yorker, which commanded respect of the best batsmen in the game. He was New Zealand’s best bowler since Hadlee, and a man who did his finest work against the classiest batsmen of his generation. Dismissing the likes of greats like Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Sanath Jayasuriya and many more, he was the fear factor that could tear the opposition apart.

Despite going through a lot of rough patches in his career due to severe injuries in his back, knees, feet, etc. Bond was never going to compromise on his greatest strength, pace. He kept returning to cricket time and again to prove his worth. Surprisingly, Bond has played only two tests against Australia and New Zealand will fondly remember this as his best performance till date. He demolished the Aussie batting, at a time when Australia was undoubtedly the best team in the world, taking 44 one-day wickets against them at an incredible 15.79. He has an ODI hat-trick to his name, one of only two New Zealanders to achieve this feat. He also has, to his name, the best ODI bowling average for a New Zealander along with being the fastest Black Cap to reach 50 one-day international as well test wickets.

Shane Bond has had a short but successful career.

His body was damaged, repaired and remade. Bond has been an influential bowler and a force to reckon with, in international cricket. Had he been blessed with a more resilient body, Bond would have made a place for himself in the pages of cricket history. At 34, Shane Bond is now at ease, with no plans to grace the stage with his great bowling. He looks back at his career as a short, but a successful one.

Bond came as a breath of fresh air for New Zealand cricket, became the strength of his team and gave his fans plenty of reasons to cheer. We only wish we could see more of the “Bond Attack” and hope that New Zealand doesn’t have to wait for another decade for a bowler of his caliber.

Here’s wishing him a wonderful post-retirement life!