More bouncers the better for pace ace Bond
Former New Zealand tearaway Shane Bond has urged his countrymen to continue with their bumper barrage on Australia’s batsmen in what shapes as a feisty Boxing Day test, starting on Thursday.
Bond, who is coaching Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash, said he would love to see Neil Wagner and company continue to take the fight to Australia after the Black Caps worried the home team in their own backyard with the consistent short bowling at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Bond worked as a consultant with England during the 2017-18 summer Down Under when they considered taking on the home side with the short ball.
New Zealand, and in particular Wagner, unsettled the locals in the west and Bond said he wanted to see more of it in Melbourne.
‘‘You need to do something over here when it’s flat,’’ Bond said. ‘‘Even when I worked for England [as a consultant], we talked about using the short ball more.
‘‘In England you can put it around the top of off stump and the pitch offers you something. You saw that in the Ashes series [this year] if you could get consistent line and length. But out here there’s no swing and no seam movement, so you have to do something differently.
‘‘New Zealand are the first side who has done that and rattled a few players and made it look uncomfortable for them. It’s a legitimate tactic. The WagnerWade contest was a ripper. It was exciting stuff. People will be looking forward to more of that in the next test match.
‘‘Nobody enjoys the ball consistently through that area. I encourage our boys to bowl bouncers in the Big Bash. It will be in the back of a batter’s mind it could be coming.’’
While few travelling countries have tried to persistently bounce Australia, Bond said you needed bowlers who could do it effectively over a period of time, such as Wagner. He said he was in awe Wagner’s 60-over effort in stifling heat in the west.
‘‘To bowl between the chest and waist consistently takes a lot of stamina and skill to consistently land it there,’’ Bond said. ‘‘And Neil has now done that for a number of years. He’s put together an incredible record in test cricket and the energy and heart he bowls with inspires everyone around him.
‘‘Neil has bowled more 10-plus over spells than any other [fast] bowler around the world in recent times, so to keep coming in and doing that, in searing heat like it was in Perth – to bowl 60 overs and keep your pace up, it was an incredible effort.’’
Black Caps coach Gary Stead said this week: ‘‘Is it bodyline? I don’t know. I think it’s part of the game and the bouncer is a legitimate delivery.’’
The likely return of Trent Boult to join Wagner and Tim Southee at the MCG will give the Tasman neighbours renewed hope.
Bond was happy for New Zealand to go with four seamers for the blockbuster fixture in Melbourne.
‘‘Boult, Southee and Wagner are a bloody tough trio, they’ll run in all day, but the big question will be if they add a fourth seamer to the attack, which would be interesting,’’ Bond said.
‘‘Obviously Australia have Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who are all amazing bowlers, but the big difference is Nathan Lyon. Not many spinners have come here and had success. Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar were class, but Lyon stands apart and does an amazing job.
‘‘New Zealand can’t compete there, so they have to do it with seamers if they want to win the test.’’