``I became a victim of politics'' - Shane Bond
Shane Bond, the former New Zealand pacer, has said ``he became a victim of politics`` when the New Zealand Cricket Board discarded him following his contract with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League. The fast bowler opined that he was not regretful over his decision to play in the league but was disappointed by the way the New Zealand Cricket had treated him. Bond claimed that he was contractually allowed by the NZC for participating in the ICL but alleged that the board backed out after the International Cricket Council intervened. Bond, in his book ``Looking Back'' said that he would never understand why he was forced to pick one from ICL or playing for New Zealand, especially after he was assured that he could do both at a time and his contract with NZC had also allowed him to do so. ''In the end I became a victim of politics,'' said Bond.
Injury-prone New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond has retired from all forms of cricket less than five months after quitting Tests to prolong his career in limited over formats.