Dion Nash: One of New Zealand's walking wounded

And on the rare occasions when a fast bowler has remained fit and healthy, they have not been averse to pulling a rabbit from the hat, as Chris Drum did by announcing his retirement from cricket at the age of 27.

But if Tuffey was to retire young, he would surely have done so after his first experience of Test cricket.

Selected at 22 to face up to the might of Australia in November 2000, he suffered a less than auspicious debut.

For a while, Tuffey would scarcely have been able to believe his good fortune. New Zealand had struggled to 232 in their first innings, but in reply Australia had stumbled to 29 for five.

Gilchrist barrage

And then Stephen Fleming tossed the young Northern Districts seamer the ball and wished him luck.

Nine overs later, Tuffey was nursing more than a headache with Adam Gilchrist's blistering 75 from 80 balls having contributed heavily to bowling figures of nought for 75. To add to the torture, he bowled nine no-balls.

Wicket-less again in the second innings, it is likely that he would have been dropped for the next match, had it not been the final Test of the series.

He was fortunate, therefore, to be selected for the tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe where he was able to set about building confidence and form in more tranquil settings.

Chosen on the strength of solid, if unspectacular, performances for his province, his medium-fast seamers at last began to bear fruit on responsive pitches.

Facing the Aussies was a tough baptism

And soon enough he was taking match figures of seven for 139 against Pakistan in Auckland, a match that New Zealand lost by 299 runs.

Two games later, Tuffey struck gold - four for 39 and three for 38 in Hamilton as Pakistan were dismissed for 104 and 118 - and New Zealand romped to a series-levelling victory of an innings and 185 runs.

"It felt like a series victory in itself," Tuffey said at the time.

One year later he was at it again.

Overlooked for the first two Tests against England, despite having played in all five one-day matches, he was recalled for the final match with New Zealand once again 1-0 down.

Quite what his captain would have said to him this time as he took the new ball we will never know - "Make sure your back doesn't go" would be a good guess - but the results were dramatic to say the least.

Line and length

Five balls into his return to Test cricket, the right-arm seamer was sitting pretty on figures of two for none.

Having trapped Marcus Trescothick shuffling across his stumps, he almost knocked over short leg in his over-excited embrace when Mark Butcher was dismissed.

Jumping for joy in Auckland

And so began the tumble of wickets that was to leave him with career-best figures of 19-6-54-6.

Through old-fashioned virtues of pitching the ball up and maintaining a line on or outside off stump, Mark Ramprakash, Graham Thorpe, Ashley Giles and Andrew Caddick followed on the second day.

For New Zealand, Tuffey's performance will doubtless prompt feelings of excitement and regret.

Excitement that a young and, more importantly, physically strong seam bowler has stood up to be counted in a Test of immense importance.

Regret that his inclusion was delayed until they no longer had a chance of winning the series.

But with the tour of Pakistan around the corner, Tuffey has at least earned himself a run in the side - fitness permitting.