Need for speed: Re-born Tye eyes 150km/h mark

Reborn paceman Andrew Tye is bowling faster than ever before and is hopeful of consistently breaking through the 150km/h mark on Australia's Qantas Tour of New Zealand.

After fearing a year ago that his international career was over, Tye has surged back into contention for Australia's T20 World Cup squad after finding an extra yard of pace following some remedial work during the last off-season.

The tweaks to his bowling action helped him touch the 150km/h mark in the recent KFC BBL campaign for the Perth Scorchers and he says the extra speed has made his array of slower balls even more effective.

"It's definitely the quickest I've ever bowled consistently," Tye said from Australia's quarantine in New Zealand ahead of the first of five T20s on February 22.

"I can only get fitter and stronger and as I continue to bowl with that action, hopefully I'll be able to generate a bit more. And, who knows, I'd love to be able to consistently hit 150.

"It was a bit rough at first, getting used to (the new action), and I hurt my rib pretty badly because of the slight change of action and the way I crunched down.

"But since then, I've felt really comfortable with it, it's coming naturally to me now and it feels really good."

Tye made his name thanks to his variety of tricks, including his famous 'knuckle ball' and several other variations, most of which are slower balls or off-pace deliveries.

Having been warned by T20 skipper Aaron Finch four years ago that focusing too much on his changes of pace could hurt his game, Tye concedes he unconsciously went down that path.

And having fallen out of favour with national selectors after a disappointing 2018 that included a return of 0-100 in Australia's record-breaking ODI defeat to England, Tye's 2019-20 season was ruined by a serious elbow injury that left him thinking his days at the top level were done.

But after taking the advice of WA bowling coach Matthew Mason last winter to make changes to his action despite being in the twilight of his career, the 34-year-old has reaped the benefits almost immediately.

"Aaron Finch said to me about four years ago ... to just be wary of bowling too many slower balls and to not lose that pace that I had," he said. "I was very confident that I wasn't going to but somehow, I lost that little bit of zip.

"To make that change and find that zip again, and a little bit more, is crucial for me and my game because it makes my slower balls more effective.

"It's helped keep me more relevant and kept me in the frame a little bit longer."

With two World Cups in the space of 12 months on the horizon, Tye can push himself forward in the five-match series against the Black Caps, with the right-armer seemingly battling Daniel Sams, Jason Behrendorff and Riley Meredith for the third seamer's spot behind Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson.

But after playing in all 17 of Perth's Big Bash matches this summer, having played so little cricket in the previous 12 months, Tye has been using the past week to rest up despite the Australians being allowed to train during their quarantine period in New Zealand.

"I haven't bowled a ball yet this tour," he said.

"I'm just giving myself a bit of my break after going from having a long stint without playing a game to then playing 20 games in the last two months.

"I think it's a good window to be able to give myself a week off and then build up to the last week heading into the first game.

"It's different for everyone. Some guys have been bowling, some guys have been batting, some guys haven't done much at all.

"It's all individual but come (Tuesday), we'll start ramping up as a team and get some really good, hard sessions in."

Qantas T20I tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, *Martin Guptill (pending fitness test), Kyle Jamieson, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee. *Finn Allen (on stand-by for Guptill)

1st T20: February 22, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 5pm AEDT

2nd T20: February 25, University of Otago Oval, Dunedin, 12noon AEDT

3rd T20: March 03, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 5pm AEDT

4th T20: March 05, Eden Park, Auckland, 5pm AEDT

5th T20: March 07, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo