Trent Boult at full speed against the West Indies in Hamilton on Monday. Photo/Getty Images
Trent Boult at full speed against the West Indies in Hamilton on Monday. Photo/Getty Images
Trent Boult was destined to be an international cricketer from a young age.
His ability as a left-armer to swing the ball at pace is a rare thing. Even rarer was his determination to succeed which, coupled with fortunate genetics, gave him the ideal basis to be a quick bowler.
But even Boult will be surprised at how quickly he has cut a path through test cricket's bowling records.
On Monday in Hamilton, the 28-year-old took his 200th test wicket in his 52nd test. He became just the fifth left-arm pace bowler in the game's history to take 200 or more test wickets. Those ahead of him are true legends of the game in Wasim Akram (414 wickets), Chaminda Vaas (355), Mitchell Johnson (313) and Zaheer Khan (311).
In the New Zealand pecking order behind the peerless Sir Richard Hadlee (431), Boult is the sixth highest but well-placed to eventually end up second ahead of Daniel Vettori.
Seven years ago this month Boult made his test debut in a rare victory over Australia in Hobart. His first test wicket was the great Michael Hussey. That win over Australia is remembered for a man-of-the-match performance from Doug Bracewell, who shared the new ball with Boult when they were at Tauranga Intermediate together.
Boult grew up quickly, having to play in a premier club team as a teenager as his school Otumoetai College did not have the luxury of playing in the Baywide premier grade like Tauranga Boys' College.
He joined his older brother Jono Boult at Otumoetai Cadets and his cricket and life education quickly progressed. He made the New Zealand under-19 team with Kane Williamson, who he had plenty of practice bowling to in club cricket.
Boult made national headlines when he won a schoolboy fast bowling competition aged 17. He was clocked at 130km/h and he has not slowed down since.
Trent Boult, 17, bowls in the rain at Eden Park to win the fastest secondary school bowler competition. PHOTO/FILE
But despite all the success, accolades and riches that have come his way, Boult is as personable, polite and approachable as ever.
This month he turned up to play for Otumoetai Cadets at Tauranga Domain to celebrate the club's 40th birthday.
Club president Campbell Wilson said Boult "is a pretty special player for the club".
"I remember when he went away on his first tour to Australia. He was pretty much a net bowler and came back injured with a stress fracture in his back and worked incredibly hard to get himself back. He had a taste of the international scene and really wanted it more.
"He is definitely Cadets through and through. Any chance he gets to be able to play for Cadets he certainly does that and if he can't play he certainly makes an appearance at the club.
"Every time he walks through the gate it lifts the club and he is a hell of a good man to have around."
That is a concept all New Zealand cricket fans will hope continues for many summers to come.
