Back in black: Adam Milne’s need for speed
As long ago as October, 2018, Black Caps coach Gary Stead spoke excitedly aboutadam Milne and Lockie Ferguson teaming up in the same XI, ahead of his first tour at the helm.
Finally, nearly 29months since Milne’s last Twenty20 international on that tour, in Dubai, that prospect is closer than it’s ever been.
The country’s two 150kmhmen will bowl in tandem at some stage in this three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, which starts in Hamilton tomorrow, after both returned from injuries to be named in the 13-man squad.
Milne is excited to not only be back, but to potentially team up with Ferguson in an XI for the first time. Over the years New Zealand rarely had that luxury, with Shane Bond and a young Ian Butler on the 2002 West Indies tour probably their speediest duo.
‘‘Eden Park has been one of the quicker and bouncierwickets. Lockie got his five-for against West Indies there and it looked really quick. Maybe we’ll get a run together there,’’ Milne said.
For Milne, 29 next month, to even be mentioning running was a triumph, as he gambolled across the Basin Reserve outfield in his team issue kit yesterday. His luck took awelcome turn this year as hemade a successful comeback for Sydney Thunder, fetched $630,000 formumbai Indians at the Indian Premier League auction and got a prized New Zealand recall.
One year ago Milne was taking his first cautious steps into bowling again, fresh from a second surgery on his left ankle in six months.
Few cricketers fought back from as many injury setbacks as Milne, who was thrown into international cricket as an 18-year-old on Boxing Day, 2010.
Since then, of the Black Caps’ 102 T20 internationals, Milne appeared in just 21 as he became a sought-after short-format bowler in India, England and Australia.
The ankle problem was the latest in a catalogue of injuries. Even worse, when Milne went under the knife at the end of the 2019 England season, the surgery wasn’t a success.
‘‘I saw a specialist again [in New Zealand] and decided that the best option was to go in again [in early 2020] and clear out a bit more of the junk thatwas building up in the ankle.
‘‘I had to start from scratch and build up the rehab, ankle strength and then get back into running and bowling. It was an arduous process to go through that twice.’’
Milne kept himself goingwith a familiar thought: hopefully this is the last major one [injury]. His partner, family and friends all rallied again to form his support network and, luckily, Bondwas nearby, too. Milne’s childhood idol hit the heights for New Zealand as theirmost feared bowler two decades ago, and endured some crushing injury lows.
Bond was bowling coach when Milne formed a dynamic trio with Tim Southee and Trent Boult at the 2015 Cricketworld Cup, and as Thunder head coach summoned him last yearwhen building towards a new seasonwith Central Stags.
‘‘Bondy’s been huge throughout my career, starting before I even knew him when I was a kid watching him run in and bowl fornew Zealand. He was one of the first guys to really bowl quickly and I enjoyed watching that, and what he brought to the game. Then to have the chance to work with him when I was 17-18, first in domestic cricket and then the Black Caps to improvemy bowling and just learn through his experiences was huge for me.
‘‘The opportunity he gave me in the Big Bash was one I couldn’t have dreamed coming along at that point after two ankle surgeries and not having played at all. For him to throw that to me was huge, and some of the reason why I managed to get back and play some consistent cricket.’’
The speed gun told the story, first, as he was back in 150kmh territory on the hard Australian surfaces. He fired down 44 overs in the Thunder’s campaign and snared just five wickets, butwas effective in their run to the preliminary final. His high pointwas a four-over spell of 1-6, the second-most economical in Big Bash history.
‘‘It’s a bizarre feeling really. You get away with a few leg byes and a guy hits it straight to the fielder and you get a dot ... but to be up in the top-five [of Big Bash economy rates] that was a really cool thing.’’
He returned home and completed 14 days of managed isolation in the same hotel as Bond, meaning they could chat from a distance on their daily exercise routine. He returned to play one Saturday as a batsman for his Marist club in Palmerstonnorth and, back to full fitness, was a strong bet to make the Black Caps squad.
With fast bowlers now the most soughtafter in T20 cricket, prices skyrocketed at the IPL auction too. Kyle Jamieson got the headlines with a staggering 15 crore rupees, which now converts to $2.96 million. Milne fetched the second-highest price of the Kiwis at $630,000 (3.2 crore), an equal pay packet to his great mate Boult who he’ll join at Mumbai the defending champions, along with Jimmy Neesham and Bond as bowling coach.
‘‘I’m following Bondy around at the moment, which is cool,’’ he said with a laugh. ‘‘I’ve been there before and know the set-up, Mahela [Jayawardene] as coach and Boulty and Jimmy are there aswell. Really excited for the opportunity.’’
For now, there’s potentially three T20s at home before Milne jets out of Auckland. Speed isn’t the only thing, but it’s right up there if that’s how you’ve made your name.
Like everyone, Milne will be watching the speed gun closely. ‘‘For someone like me it is a point of difference being able to bowl fast so youwant tomake sure you’re getting your speeds up there. That was pleasing, it felt like after a bit of a layoffmy rhythm got better and better as I went on [in Australia].’’
Bangladesh batsmen, bewarned.
‘‘I had to start from scratch and build up the rehab, ankle strength and then get back into running and bowling. It was an arduous process to go through that twice.’’
Adam Milne