Former Black Caps fast bowler Ian Butler is re-inventing himself as a batsman after 18 months out of first-class cricket with a serious back injury.

And even if he is again able to bowl, he wants it to be a string in his bow as an allrounder capable of challenging for a Black Caps place.

Butler, 24, was leading scorer in the New Zealand A tournament last season for Northern Districts and has a top test score of 26. He was felled by a disc compression injury when playing against Australia in Melbourne in December 2004.

"I'm taking it one minute step at a time," he told the Sunday Star-Times.

He says making it as an allrounder would be a dream come true.

"That's the ultimate aim, I couldn't ask for a better scenario than that. It would be like winning Lotto."

Butler scored two 60s and 172 not out in five games at the A tournament. Watching was Northern Districts A coach and former Black Caps spin bowler Grant Bradburn, who thinks Butler can do it.

"He's definitely got the potential," Bradburn said. New ND coach Andy Moles, an experienced English coach who played for Warwickshire for 13 years, gets the chance to run the rule over Butler when he arrives in Hamilton in September.

"The ND selectors have made it known to me that they are not just looking at me as a bowler," Butler said. "They want me to put pressure on the incumbent batters.

"If I can make it as a batter at first-class level that could be a good thing to come out of the injury."

Butler, who averages 16.30 from 37 first-class matches, with a top score of 68, has been honing his batting over the winter with former Knights coach Bruce Blair and former gritty Black Caps opening bat Mark "Rigor" Richardson.

Richardson started his career as a spin bowler, before focusing on the blade to become one of this country's best test openers.

"We haven't given up on his bowling yet but Ian's got good basic batting skills and flair," said Blair.

"He's got a lot of potential, but we have to turn him from a bowler into someone who thinks like a batsman."

Butler points to current Black Caps batting allrounder Scott Styris, who started his first-class career batting at No11, and Richardson as prime examples of what can happen.

"Before I got injured my aim was to be the best bowler in New Zealand," Butler says. "Now I'm in the position where I may never bowl again.

"I just want to become a first-class batsman - the Black Caps are out of the picture at the moment."

His back injury has puzzled medical staff and he is unsure if he will make it back as a bowler, the acid test coming over the next two months as he eases into bowling in the nets after re-modelling his action.

Butler, who has been working as a personal trainer in Pukekohe, says changing his bowling action has been a tough task.

"I'm trying to keep everything in a straight line but the injury can cause a high level of pain.

"Once I get to that level of pain I can't bowl. It's fine when I'm working up to it but when you start talking about (cortisone) injections to get through you have to decide if it's worth it."

Butler says being forced out of the Black Caps just as his career was starting to take off was devastating.

"It's very hard when you lose what you want to do. Nothing can replace international cricket -you're playing against the best people in the world, you're training in the very best environment.

"People might say you have other things in your life to fulfil you but you can never get really that back. It's hard knowing you can lose that, but it could make me a better cricketer."

He is grateful for the support of Blair and Richardson, while former Black Caps and Knights team-mate Daryl Tuffey and fellow fast bowler Shane Bond, who have also known the pain of injury, have helped a lot.

"I spoke to Shane Bond last week and I'm good mates with Daryl Tuffey. You certainly know who your friends are when you are out of cricket."