Matt Fisher loves bowling fast. So much that he hasn't allowed a spate of injuries, including compartment syndrome - a painful build-up of pressure around muscles - to slow him down.
The 26-year-old New Zealand tearaway hit 150kph on his T20I debut in Bangladesh in April in Chattogram and is now on the verge of making his ODI debut, against West Indies in Guyana in the series that starts on the weekend.
Fisher received the unexpected call-up for the Caribbean tour when he was at a training camp in Chennai, following injuries to a number of front-line New Zealand fast bowlers. Working his way back from a heel injury of his own, Fisher steadily built up his loads. By the end of the camp, in Chennai's unforgiving heat, he hit full tilt and proved that he's ready for international cricket once again.
Fisher was first fast-tracked into the New Zealand side after his rapid pace caught the attention of head coach Rob Walter when he was a net bowler in the lead-up to the Zimbabwe tour in August last year. He came away with two wickets on Test debut in Bulawayo, with his father in attendance.
"I hit 150 [kph] on my T20 debut in Bangladesh. I kind of had an inkling to bowl fast when I was younger," Fisher said on the sidelines of a training session at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in June. "Bowling fast kind of stuck with me as I went through high school and later. I just really enjoy bowling fast. But, it's getting tougher nowadays and with batters lining you up, it seems to go further if you bowl faster (laughs). But no, I enjoy the craft of fast bowling and I'm hoping to just kind of hone it down.
"It's just trying to be as relaxed as possible at the top of your mark, not trying to force it too fast. When you're bowling your fastest, everything just feels in tune and you're just gliding in and your wrist is just snapping over it. So when you try and force it, that's probably when you start losing the wrist and spraying it around."
Fisher ended up spraying it around a bit in that debut T20I, conceding 53 runs in four wicketless overs in April, but has taken that in his stride, and is learning to deal with the pressure that international cricket invites. Support from his team-mates and the team management certainly helped him cope with it better.
"I suppose that's the nature of T20 cricket - you're going to go for runs," Fisher said. "As a bowler, you're going to have more bad days than good. You can't really miss it [lines and lengths] at the international level. But, yeah, it was tough at the time. But looking back, I'm very grateful to get the opportunity, and the Black Caps have a good leadership squad. Everyone got around me, kind of sat me down, asked me what I learnt and how I could become better."
While extreme pace continues to be Fisher's USP, he has been fine-tuning his off-pace deliveries as well, in order to become a more versatile bowler.
"The cool thing about this Chennai camp is that it's probably a less-pressure situation," Fisher said. "I've been coming into high-pressure game situations where I can't afford to test my cutters and whatnot. Well, you probably can, but you just don't back it as much, and often there's a lot at stake. I tried to bowl a few legcutters here today to get it right. Bowling coaches back home also get us to keep trying [the slower variations]."
Graeme Aldridge, the former New Zealand seamer and current high-performance bowling coach at New Zealand Cricket, has played a significant role in Fisher's evolution and his re-emergence from a litany of injuries.
"G has been the most influential coach in my career," Fisher said. "It has been cool to work with him through ND [Northern Districts], Under-19s and now on A tours. If I want to work on something, I'm not really afraid to discuss it with him. He's open to trying out new things, so it's always good to have a mentor like him whom you can talk to about the highs and lows. He keeps you level-headed and pumps your tires up when needed."
Like most young New Zealand fast bowlers today, Fisher grew up idolising the iconic trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. "I have also enjoyed watching Lockie [Ferguson] even now, and [Adam] Milne," he said. At Northern Districts, the start of Fisher's career coincided with the latter stages of Wagner's in domestic cricket. Fisher absorbed lessons about managing his body better from Wagner.
"I was lucky enough to play with him for three-four years at ND. He's obviously well known for his accurate bumpers and he's such a workhorse. We've had conversations about managing the body and I think no one has done it as well as he has, especially with the amount of overs he bowls.
"He's been really good to talk to about that. And as a bowler, you get carted sometimes, but he's someone who is level-headed and brings you back to why you bowl in the first place. He's been doing commentary these days and it's nice to see him in the box. When you're not bowling as well, he might chat to you and pump your tires up."
Fisher has also developed a habit of reading to shut out the social-media noise and stay centred. He has a law degree too, though his full focus is solely on establishing himself as a Black Cap right now.
"I try to read for 30 minutes to an hour every day," Fisher said. "I think if you can just keep your mind going, there's nothing like a bit of reading, and it gets you off social media. Probably [just] as well, as everyone is starting to realise too much of it is pretty bad for you."
Among Fisher's favourite books are Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, and Greenlights by Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey. But as a fast bowler he has found the autobiographies of Mitchell Johnson (Resilient) and Simon Jones (The Test: My Life, and the Inside Story of the Greatest Ashes Series) more relatable.
"That's all about the '05 Ashes," Fisher says of Jones' book. "Seeing the kind of injuries and stuff he went through. So I mean, it's pretty cool to read those books and see the journey they went through with the injuries. It tells you you're not the only one that's been injured and how they kind of got back to playing."
In the lead-up to Tests against India at home and Australia away in the upcoming season - the longest gap is seven days between the end of the India series and the first Test against Australia in Perth - New Zealand are preparing to dig deep into their pace-bowling reserves. Fisher could potentially come into the picture if he remains fit and firing.
"I've been unfortunate with injuries." he said. "But the body has been feeling good lately and [I] got some overs in the Chennai heat. I'm just hoping to stay out in the park and manage the body as well as possible. And if you do have a niggle, [it's about] knowing what's good pain and what's bad pain, what you can play through and what you might need a rest for, so it doesn't turn into something really bad.
"You've got New Zealand bowlers going everywhere and bowling well. [Jacob] Duffy bowled in the first over in the IPL final. Lockie and Milne [are] at the MLC. Everyone shares their knowledge and it's cool to be part of the Black Caps environment. The massive goal of mine is to stay on the park and if I manage to do that, then naturally the goals and whatnot will take care of itself."