Cricket: Bowling carnage the new normal

Black Caps fast bowler Trent Boult pictured in Mt Maunganui yesterday. Photo / Alan Gibson

The days of bowlers walking off the field after a one-dayer with figures of 2-40 are long gone, says New Zealand's best bowler.

Trent Boult, back in the country awaiting the results of scans on his injured back, said carnage was the new normal for ODIs.

"There's been, what, close to 3000 runs scored in the first four ODIs [between England and New Zealand]," Boult said ahead of tonight's series decider. "It's been an unbelievable series.

"With just four players outside the circle and two newish balls, the days of 2-30 or 2-40 are gone. If you come off the park with 2-60, you've had a pretty good day."

The prospect of a lengthy spell on the sidelines is hardly enticing but if there is the smallest positive, it's that Boult, recently ranked the fifth-best bowler in ODIs to go with his No 3 ranking in tests, has been out of the firing line of England's batsmen.

Which really isn't any consolation at all for captain Brendon McCullum, who lost his most effective weapon. Boult's returns of 2-53 at The Oval and 4-55 at Edgbaston look better by the day as New Zealand's bowlers have been smeared around all parts of the old country.

The hosts have taken New Zealand's attack-at-all-costs mentality and thrown it right back at them, but Boult is a firm believer in the way New Zealand are playing their cricket.

"The quickest way to halt runs is to take wickets," he said. "Personally, I love running in and seeing all the catchers behind the wicket."

For the first time in close to two years, New Zealand's approach is starting to be critiqued, with some believing the test at Lord's and the two losses out of four in the ODIs (the decider is played at Chester-le-Street tonight) point to a lack of Plan B when Plan A for Attack is not working.

Boult has a nice straight-bat response.

"First of all, it's nice to have found that consistency and be a team people are passionate about and so proud of. When we go out there and it doesn't come off and we're defeated, it's just one of those things. There's always going to be media criticism, but there's a lot of positive stuff as well.

"It's great to have that expectation - [we've come a long way] if people now expect us to win. We love doing what we're doing and we love going out there and playing this style of cricket.

"It's exciting to bring what we're bringing and to get the sort of support we're getting. In terms of Brendon and his captaincy, it's unique, it's proactive, it's great to watch ... and it's done a lot for New Zealand cricket."

Best bowlers (ICC rankings)

Tests
1. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
2. James Anderson (England)
3. Trent Boult (NZ)
4. Ryan Harris (Australia)
5. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
6. Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
7. Stuart Broad (England)
8. Vernon Philander (South Africa)
9. Morne Morkel (South Africa)
10 Tim Southee (NZ)

ODIs
1. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
2. Imran Tahir (South Africa)
3. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
4. Sunil Narine (West Indies)
5. Trent Boult (NZ)
6. Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
7. Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)
8. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
9. James Anderson (England)
10. Morne Morkel (South Africa)