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Shane Bond rules out international comeback

Shane Bond has spoken of his unhappiness with the way he has been treated by New Zealand Cricket and said that he will not play for his country again

Cricinfo staff
23-Oct-2008

Shane Bond: "I was five when I started dreaming about playing cricket for New Zealand and someone, a bureaucrat, who has never played the game, takes it away from me" © Getty Images
 
Shane Bond has spoken of his unhappiness with the way he has been treated by New Zealand Cricket and said that he will not play for his country again, even if the stand-off with the ICL is resolved.
"I'm disappointed with the way my country's cricket board treated me," he told the PTI agency. "I don't want to represent New Zealand in Test matches or one-day internationals any more.
"Despite clearing me for the tournament earlier, the cricket board later changed their mind and stepped back from their stand. I am quite disappointed with that. I still enjoy playing cricket. I'm having a great time with the game, which has given me career and financial security."
Bond said he joined ICL after getting an assurance from the New Zealand board that he would be able to play international cricket. However, the board backtracked and he was asked to choose between ICL and New Zealand.
He was disappointed with the way his international career ended. "There were lots of politics going on in the background. It was disappointing not to finish on your terms for New Zealand. Playing the last game and have your family come and get to watch it."
Bond said financial reasons had prompted him to join the league. "I didn't know then I was not going to play for New Zealand, of course. You are always worried about kids; to give more than you got. After ICL, the financial pressure was off. I was just realistic. I was 32, had lots of injuries and I knew I had only two years or so of cricket. It was difficult to travel away with a young family. From the financial side it was just common sense. Family comes first; this money has made a massive difference. I discussed the proposition with my wife and went through thoroughly."
Asked whether he joined ICL because New Zealand was in decline as a team and would he have done it if he were playing for a strong team like Australia, Bond said he couldn't answer the hypothetical scenario. "I didn't think team was in decline. We were disappointed with the World Cup. We still had the makings of a good side."
He said he had informed his team-mates about the decision and they understood and respected it. "They were fully supportive. They were just disappointed with how it was handled (by the board). Some of them were also in dialogue with ICL and a few joined IPL later. I still follow New Zealand cricket. They are some of my best mates and I would always support them."
He also lashed out at the administrators who were preventing ICL players from participating in official cricket. "I was five when I started dreaming about playing cricket for New Zealand and someone, a bureaucrat, who has never played the game, takes it away from me. It's just ridiculous," he said. "ICC needs to really take control of the game. If this sort of behaviour carries on and players get banned the game loses its credibility."
Before joining the league, Bond had offers from both IPL and ICL but chose the latter, as the contract was better.