The unpredictable nature of professional sport has been well and truly brought home for Tauranga's Black Cap Trent Boult in the last few weeks.
In the test series against England in May, the 23-year-old left-arm swing bowler made his first appearances at the famous grounds of Lord's and Headingly and played a huge part in the convincing display by the Black Caps bowlers, who more than held their own against their esteemed opponents.
Boult took three wickets at Lord's before ripping out England in the first innings at Headingly with a superb haul of 5-57.
And then disaster stuck - a sharp pain ripped through his side early in the English second innings and he could not continue on. He was diagnosed with a side strain and six weeks out of the game. It meant an early flight home and recuperating back in Otumoetai rather than being part of the Champions Trophy competition currently under way.
The timing of the injury could not have been worse as Boult was in the form of his life, having taken a personal best of 6-68 against England's feted batting line-up at Eden Park in March.
"I got the side strain, they told me, purely because I have bowled a lot of overs and have had a heavy workload over the last nine months generally. I have been pretty much on every tour and played all the tests so it is a workload thing first of all.
"I went to England and bowled six days in a row over there, had three days between the tests and went straight back into bowling again. Then we had 43 overs off (through rain) and that's when I did it. I got real tight through my side and my back and had to come off. I couldn't actually move. The scan showed a slight tear in my oblique muscle and I may even have a fractured rib that they couldn't pick up on the scan. It is a fairly big injury but you can get worse. I have till September to rehab before we go again."
Boult would love to have played in the shorter forms of the game this month but is not one to dwell on what might have been.
Since his test debut in the win over Australia in December 2011 he has made a rapid rise up the world rankings, and to the top of New Zealand's pace bowling charges, through his positive attitude and ability to get top players out by having the courage to pitch the new ball up.
"I am very passionate about test cricket and I was happy I got to play at Lord's and experience that, plus I got five wickets in front of my parents and family which was satisfying.
"I was frustrated about (the injury) but not too hung up about it. It is pretty hard sitting back here on the couch watching the boys run in, when I could have been part of it, but that is just part and parcel of sport isn't it?"