Down but not out

Dion Nash's career has been a series of highs and lows. Michael Brown talks to the injured Black Cap.

From the Sunday News.

Dion Nash was in mourning two years ago.

He was facing the prospect of not playing the game he loved because of a career-threatening back injury.

The 27-year-old allrounder is now having to go through another healing process after returning home from the Black Caps' tour of India with a bulged disc in his back.

It's not a recurrence of his old injury but the same injury in a different part of his back.

Although he's confident of a speedy recovery it was a bitter pill for Nash who had shown he was back to his best.

He topped the bowling averages in the series win in England and again the recent three-test series against India, averaging 17.47 and 34.87 respectively.

This followed an impressive home series against India and South Africa.

While English conditions are helpful to the seamer, Nash was able to excel in the first test against India in Mohali.

He ripped through the Indian batting lineup claiming career best figures of 6-27 in 11 overs as India was dismissed for a paltry 83.

Nash admitted it was a surreal experience.

"I think you would be a liar if you expected to bowl them out in a session and a half. We had hoped to make inroads and have them under pressure. But as it turned out we just strung it together.

"It's hard to explain. It just went all our way."

It's not often you've been able to say this about the Black Caps in the past decade.

While they were unable to win the test, and had to fight to save it in the end, Nash said the team had continued its development as a test playing nation.

"Winning the series in England raised the bar for us in terms of what we are striving to achieve as a team.

"You don't really gain respect as a team until you beat other teams on their own conditions. That's certainly a motivating factor for the side at the moment."

It's for this reason that Nash was saddened to leave his teammates in India.

"We are starting to knock off some of the top sides. You naturally gain enthusiasm to be a part of that. I really felt we had a chance to win the current one-day series as well."

Nash is trying not to get too downcast about his current injury and is drawing on his experience with his last back injury to help him remain positive.

Last time the injury took two years to heal but Nash blamed this on a poor diagnosis.

"This is easy to accept compared to last time," he said.

"It's a blow, but as long as I can get back fit for the home series I will be happy. I know exactly how I got the last one right and how to treat this one. All things going well I could be back in four to six weeks.

"I could be in more trouble but I've got a funny feeling that I will be back sooner than last time."

Like most top class sportspeople he hates being a spectator - more motivation to come back from injury.

He credits pilates - a fitness and flexibility programme used by dancers to help strengthen their abdominals and back - for his eventual recovery.

It wasn't the only change he had to make.

Nash admitted he had to learn how to bowl again.

"I had to look at a few basic problems I had with my technique and go back to the start and rebuild."

Nash did this under the watchful eye of former Auckland coach and test spin bowler John Bracewell.

Although he has been a regular since his return to the Black Caps he said he rarely goes through a day where he doesn't experience pain in his back.

Reports last week suggested Nash's injury happened because he reverted back to his old bowling style.

Nash was quick to dispel this saying it was a moment of "unco-ordination" because of tiredness.

One thing he hasn't had to work on much is his communication skills on the field - more commonly known as sledging.

Nash is never short of a word but said people would be shocked to realise just how boring the comments tend to be.

"Whenever you get in a tight situation you don't have a lot of time to think of great intelligent words to say.

"I've always been a feisty player and people have different ways of showing emotion. Mine is probably a little outward. It's just a way of venting frustration at the batsman and just let him know I'm out there and willing to compete."

"It works with some and with others it fires them up more. You learn to pick which ones to direct it at. Sometimes you get it wrong and you end up paying the price for it."

Nash said it can be unpleasant to be on the receiving end but if you're prepared to give it you have to be prepared to cop it too.

He's also has to accept batting lower down the order and was even at No 10 for the Indian series but said he had no desire to reclaim the captaincy he assumed when Stephen Fleming was injured last summer.

"It's nice for Stephen to have someone who could be a sounding board when the pressure is on but he runs the show," he said.

"I have no real desire to lead the team again. I want to achieve a few things for myself but that's not one of them."

Nash wouldn't elaborate saying they were "private".

It sums Nash up.

He cringes when it comes to media commitments and enjoys escaping from the attention that as overseas tour provides.

But he would gladly do it this summer because it would mean he was back from injury and back in the only place he wants to be.

Back in the Black Caps.

[Articles]