Cricket: Bennett has put injury nightmare to bed

Hamish Bennett is fighting fit. Photo / Getty Images

For a couple of years, finding a Hamish Bennett headline which didn't contain the words "injury", "surgery" or a combination of "out for the season" deserved a prize.

The former test cricketer's ailments included tears to the quadriceps, shoulder and groin which were all derived from a dicky back and, in turn, a vulnerable front-on bowling action.

Bennett has shown courage and perseverance returning to full fitness for the four-day side this season. The Canterbury quick took four wickets for 15 in a six-over spell against Wellington in Rangiora recently to leave them 27 for six at stumps. He completed figures of six for 160 off 40.1 overs for the match. He took four wickets in each of his two previous first-class matches and added a further five so far in the Plunket Shield round finishing today.

The 26-year-old's career has suffered cruel punctuations. He missed all domestic four-day games in the past three seasons. Until this year, the last first-class match he played was his test debut against India in Ahmedabad in 2010, where he broke down.

Bennett suggests, tongue-in-cheek, he now has so much titanium in his body, he considered playing only home games in case the rubber gloves were brought out at airport security. Fortunately, titanium doesn't set off the alarm.

The reality is Bennett, who made his first-class debut aged 18 and test debut aged 23, has descended the New Zealand test bowling pecking order with the success of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Doug Bracewell and Mitchell McClenaghan, Mark Gillespie and Canterbury team-mate Matt Henry next in line.

Bennett accepts the situation with trademark resilience and good humour. He is a self-deprecating, articulate sort. The fickle nature of professional sport is not lost on him.

"My back was the big issue, which caused a lot of subsequent problems. To be honest, I thought I was nearly done at one stage.

"My surgeon, Grahame Inglis, said it was one of the worst stress fractures he'd seen. One of my bones was healing towards the spinal cord rather than where it was meant to be. My nerves and muscles were surrounded by a jungle of bones."

Bennett has been injury-free since playing the Ford Trophy last year. He says it reflects a total change in approach: "Since January, I've removed weights from my fitness programme and replaced them with a mixture of yoga, swimming and cardio. Instead of big leg weights, I'd rather walk up a hill for an hour. I've also been using acupuncture.

"People look at my size and imagine I do weights but they're unnecessary unless I was trialling for the All Blacks as a blindside flanker or No8. In simple terms, I'm finding the best way to stay fit is by bowling more rather than through deadlifts and bench presses.

"I've also removed putting my arms behind the head in my bowling action. My left arm is largely the same but my right arm is a lot lower. It gets me through the action without as much strain on the body.

"It took me a couple of years to figure that out. I knew I had to make a change. I worked with [current New Zealand assistant coaches] Bob Carter, Shane Bond and [former bowling coach] Allan Donald. When it finally clicked, it felt great.

"I still talk to Bondy a bit [Bond began his test career aged 26] and have been fortunate to have a couple of meetings with Hess [head coach Mike Hesson] to track where I'm at and what I have to do."

Bennett has also spent time working on his mental conditioning.

"I haven't been to any real dark places but it has been frustrating nonetheless so I've had the odd session with [Canterbury sports counsellor] John Quinn. Talking to mates helps as well. Allan [Donald] was always a big help and I've stayed in touch with him. He always believes in you, as do those in your personal life. That means a lot."