Nash is back in the fold
By Simon Winter
From The Press, June 10, 2001

Dion Nash is back. The inspirational allrounder will return to the Black Caps on Thursday when the side is named for next month's one-day tri-series against Sri Lanka.

His recall comes 14 months after his second career-threatening back injury.

But the third part of his career is likely to be the last if - as has happened twice in the past eight years - his back buckles under the strain.

For now though, he is off the sick list and back doing what he loves.

"I'm enjoying bowling again," Nash told Sunday News.

"It's nice to be able to do what you do well.

"It's good to be able to have some consistency and do it day in, day out for a few weeks on end.

"I've had two stress fractures - and you do worry about that.

"When I'm bowling it's pretty good at the moment. But every time you get stiff the old aches and pains do come back."

Nash's problems are symbolic of those facing many of the world's top bowlers - and many of the Black Caps.

Chris Cairns, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Simon Doull, Shayne O'Connor and Andrew Penn all failed to finish last season.

Overseas players such as Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis have suffered similar problems.

They are living proof of the demands of cricket - that too much bowling is bad for your health.

"My stress fractures were 18 months apart.

"You can deduce from that, that over 18 months of cricket your back comes under a lot of stress and eventually gives way."

The stress fractures to vertebrae in his lower back in 1996 and 2000, have robbed Nash of half his career.

He has played just 31 tests since his debut in 1992 - taking 93 wickets at the respectable average of 27.

That's compared with batsman Stephen Fleming - who has played 60 tests since making his debut one year after Nash.

But Nash is a fighter.

Now fresh and fit, he has no doubts he can recover his pace and form.

"Last time it took three months of play to really get my pace back. I imagine it will be pretty similar this time."

Nash has spent a lot of time smoothing and re-modelling his action.

The new model is slightly more open.

The 29-year-old is wiser now, and sees the Sri Lankan tri-series as an ideal re-introduction to top cricket.

"That's a big thing.

"There's definitely ways of getting through when you don't have to come back and bowl 20 overs.

"Maybe if things go well we could work a rotation system. That's an ideal scenario for me.

"But it's hard when you've been injured for 12 months to really push your case.

"I've got other goals down the track - particularly the Australian tour later this year.

"That would be a big one and I really need to play some cricket before that to prove I am fit."

Nash has bowled around 40 minutes every second day for the past month.

The presence of back pain is no longer his ultimate fear.

Because as he says, "it's degrees of pain" that he bowls in now.

But he still has a presence and - one suspects - he'll be a force to be reckoned with this summer.

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