Cricket: How Trent Boult is now among the ODI bowling greats

Trent Boult. Photo / Photosport

Trent Boult admits he's not big on milestones; team success is what really matters.

It's a case of numbers, schmumbers as far as the 28-year-old left arm swing bowler is concerned. His seven for 34 yesterday to dismantle the West Indies in the second ODI in Christchurch are the second best figures by a New Zealand bowler in ODI cricket.

But here's one number to ponder: 22.

Boult is the second fastest New Zealander, behind the remarkable Shane Bond, to reach 100 ODI wickets, and fifth fastest overall to the mark. Three times he's taken six or more wickets in a match. Only the mighty Richard Hadlee (five times) and Bond (four) have taken five or more in an ODI more often than Boult.

Yesterday was his 56th match. Bond was two games faster, and in turn he was two games slower than the quickest to 100, Australian Mitchell Starc.

But the fastest to 150 wickets is Pakistan's clever spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

He needed 53 games to make it to 100 wickets, second to Starc, and got to 150 in 78 matches. Second best to that mark was Australian quick Brett Lee, in 82 games.

So Boult needs to get another 49 wickets in his next 22 games to pip Saqlain's record.

Potentially, he could have 11 in the rest of this home summer – one against the West Indies on Boxing Day, then five against Pakistan who arrive at the start of next month, and five more against England later in the summer.

New Zealand then have a break until they tour the United Arab Emirates in October-November with the schedule to include three tests and a minimum three ODIs. Then it's the home summer to come, by which time at his current rate, and if he stays injury free, he won't be far off the 150.

"If I had to put it down to something I know that when I am swinging the ball, I wouldn't say I'm a different bowler, but I almost grow another limb in a way," Boult said of his achievement yesterday.

"I was getting it clicking and swinging the ball well. I'm very happy with where it is at the moment."

Another claim to fame for all those who bowl the wrong way round to savour: Boult is just the second left armer to the century mark, after Starc.

Fastest bowlers to 100 ODI wickets:
52 games: Mitchell Starc (Australia)
53: Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan)
54: Shane Bond (New Zealand)
55: Brett Lee (Australia)
56: Trent Boult (New Zealand)

Other notables:
59: Waqar Younis (Pakistan), Morne Morkel (South Africa)
60: Dennis Lillee (Australia)
61: Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)
62: Stuart Broad (England)
72: Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
74: Wasim Akram (Pakistan)