Michael Rae will line up for Otago in its Plunket Shield match against Central Districts at the University of Otago Oval today.
Rae (24) is fresh off a crucial spell in Otago’s most recent match in Invercargill which won the game for his team.
Rae is just happy to be back on the field after missing all of last season following a 17cm-long tear in his bicep.
"I tried to rehab it three times during the season but every time it was not quite ready. We got to late January and thought that is probably it for the year. It was pretty hard to stomach. But it was just time," he said.
The tear was in the tendon and muscle and was described as very special by his surgeon.
The only remedy was rest so Rae spent the best part of six months trying to get it right.
"I spent hours and hours with the strength and conditioning coach. Just progressively testing it with loading. Not trying to push it. Training to get ready to play. Not training for strength work.
"Everything was very meticulous. I would bowl a certain amount of balls and that would be it. They were constantly pulling in the reins on me."
Slowly though, he got back to full pace and when this season rolled around Rae was more than ready.
"Jake [Jacob Duffy], our captain’s saying is — the best ability in cricket is availability. You look at our contracted list and we have four contracted seamers.
"So if you are available and fit you are going to play a good amount of cricket. Being healthy has enabled me to play a lot more cricket."
Rae is loving his involvement so far this season, which included a game against India A.
"It probably does not get any harder than that. Bowling bouncers to those guys — I don’t think I have felt slower in my life.
"But it was great. If you are not always wanting to improve, someone is going to overtake you."
Last week against Canterbury, a fiery round-the-wicket spell grabbed four wickets to win the game.
"I’ve watched Wags [Wagner]. With Neil he is relentless. Generally, a batsman can think ‘Right, this is only going to last three or four overs so I can see it out’. But Neil just keeps on coming and keeps on coming.
"You start wearing guys down. If you are sitting there watching that and thinking you are going out to face it, you are not going to enjoy that."
Rae said the yellow sweatband was actually practical, stemming from a game in a hot Whangarei a few years ago.
"I have a propensity to sweat a lot. The boys who swing it around were swinging it a lot. I bowled my spell, just dripping wet and the ball actually got wet and stopped swinging for them.
"From then on I had to wear a wristband, big one on the wrist and the one on the head and try and keep the ball and myself as dry as possible.
"We had a Secret Santa this year so my Secret Santa gave me a shoebox of them."
Otago has made one change to the team — Neil Broom drops out for Dale Phillips. Broom has a forearm injury which he has been managing all season. However, it has flared up again and he may be out for the rest of the season.
