Cricket: Bond warns tricky job ahead for bowlers

HBT133617-11.jpg Bowling coach Shane Bond. New Zealand Black Caps, net practice at Nelson Park, Napier ahead of the one day International (ODI) day nighter at McLean Park against the West Indies. 2nd

Bowlers switching from T20 to ODI format would seem at a glance to be a relatively straightforward exercise.

You have a maximum four overs in one version, up to 10 in the other.

But former New Zealand fast bowling champion Shane Bond begs to differ.

And he wonders if bowlers changing from the Indian Premier League to the Champions Trophy may struggle.

Training for the 20-over form is highly specific and with this season's IPL a more condensed edition due to pushing it through before the trophy starts in England at the beginning of next month, there has been a smaller amount of time for bowlers to prepare.

''Because of the condensed schedules in the IPL, and the heat and the travel, the bowlers haven't been bowling a lot in the nets," Bond said in a column on the International Cricket Council website.

''Going into the ICC Champions Trophy, where the top bowlers will be expected to bowl their quota of 10 overs, will pose a unique kind of challenge in terms of the bowlers not having had enough of a workload.

''It is important that it is not just your skills that are up to speed, you need to have had miles in the legs as well."

Bond is bowling coach of the Mumbai Indians, where New Zealand seamers Mitch McClenaghan and Tim Southee have been based in this IPL.

Whereas McClenaghan has been a key figure, taking 19 wickets in 14 games at 26 apiece, Southee has only been required in three games, taking three wickets at 32.

''The challenge for both Tim and Mitch is bowling 5-6 over spells that they most likely will in England,'' Bond said.

The batsmen will be better off in the adjustment, he believes.

''The mindset is pretty much the same in both formats,'' he said. ''Look to hit the ball hard, score quickly.''

New Zealand play their second tri-series game in Ireland, starting late tonight, against Bangladesh. They beat Ireland by 51 runs in their first match of the double round robin.