Cricket: Butler brings the hustle to Kiwi attack

Ian Butler says he never gave up hope of getting back into the national side. Photo / Getty Images

Those who scoffed at Ian Butler's recall to New Zealand's limited-overs team this season now have the evidence for a substantial rethink.

He's been New Zealand's most impressive bowler, alongside his captain Dan Vettori, since being recalled for the one-off Twenty20 international against Australia in Sydney last month.

He took a wicket with his sixth ball and hasn't looked back in four appearances so far. If an acceptable run concession rate in Twenty20 games is one a ball, Butler should be happy with his work.

His first 23 balls in Sydney went for 24, before Cameron White slogged his last delivery into the crowd.

At Christchurch in the opening Indian match, he took two for 29 from his four overs and after a mini-blowout at Wellington, two for 42 - and another last ball six by Irfan Pathan - Butler bagged one for 42 from his eight overs in the first ODI in Napier on Tuesday. In the context of other bowlers that day, his were a solid return.

For a player who spent four years out of the national side largely through degenerative and bulging discs in his back, which threatened to permanently end his international ambitions, Butler, still only 27, has returned to add real hustle to the New Zealand attack.

He was a genuinely sharp bowler in his first national team stint, and grabbed six for 46 in a test against Pakistan at the Basin Reserve. His eight tests produced 24 wickets at 36.83.

In 16 ODIs he's got 15 wickets at 40, now operating at a lively above-medium pace, and throwing in the odd quicker delivery. He has also learnt the skills and value of the slower ball and other variations.

One delivery with a bit of extra zip and bounce did for master batsman Sachin Tendulkar in Napier this week. "It's been a long season. Since January I've played 27 games.

"You have to pick your moments," he added on generating some extra pace from time to time.

Butler never gave up hope of getting back in the national side.

"I never considered giving it up completely. That's why I played a couple of seasons just as a batter.

"Then my body allowed me to come back and bowl a bit. You know if you perform you're going to get a chance eventually."

His switch to Otago this season helped, giving fresh incentives. His form has been strong, 18 wickets at 19.83 helping his team to the State Shield final; and 10 at 16.1 helped Otago win the national Twenty20 title. Butler doubts a test recall is on, given what his body has been through in the past few years. He's done remarkably well to get back, and to demonstrate he belongs, in the shorter game. However 20 overs in a day is a different story.

"I'm not unavailable, but I wouldn't have thought I'd be in the top five test bowlers," he said. "I've worked out how I can manage it in one-day and Twenty20 cricket which is only 10 and four overs.

"You also get a day off the next day, which is huge. There's not many days off in a test."

Vettori played with Butler at Northern Districts and clearly admires his achievement.

Butler also had to put behind him the ugly slur of being "pea hearted", courtesy of former test bowler Brendon Bracewell.

"He brings vibrancy to his game, he loves playing cricket, loves being back in the environment and he's pretty excited about everything he's doing," Vettori said yesterday.

"He's one of those guys who lives to perform and when you have someone like that come in it lifts the side as well."