Daily Times

Wellington: After 12 months out of one-day international cricket, New Zealand seamer Trent Boult is relishing a third crack at the 50-overs World Cup after bitter defeats in the last two finals.

The 34-year-old is one of the world’s best ODI bowlers, but spent the last year sidelined from the Black Caps after turning down a New Zealand Cricket contract to play for lucrative Twenty20 teams in Australia, the United States and India.

Putting his international career on hold to spend more time with his young family was a risk, but Boult is back in the frame for October’s ODI World Cup after signing a casual-playing agreement with New Zealand cricket chiefs. “I fully appreciated the fact that in giving my contract back, you open the door for other players,” he said. “The decision was solely made around just being away from home a lot.

“Selection for the World Cup was never guaranteed. I had to work for it, so I am very happy to be here.”

New Zealand are bidding to reach a third straight final, and Boult hopes the Black Caps can go far in India, “like we have in the last couple of attempts”.

He has been on fire since his return to international cricket in early September, taking eight wickets in two ODI defeats to England.

“It was a good feeling chucking back on the black ODI kit,” he said. “I can’t wait for more.”

Boult was a key part of New Zealand’s run to the last two finals when they lost to Australia in 2015 at Melbourne, then England four years later at Lords.

Finals heart-break: “I’ve been very fortunate to play in a couple of World Cup finals and been on the wrong side of all of them,” he said with a wry smile.

“It’s a cliché, but you learn more when you fail than when you succeed. I feel like I’m a better cricketer for that experience.” His 22 wickets at the 2015 tournament was the joint highest alongside Australian speedster Mitchell Starc. They lost by seven wickets to hosts Australia in the final.

New Zealand cricket fans need no reminding of the 2019 final defeat to England, who they meet in their first game of this year’s tournament.