Bond on brink of international comeback

BY CHRIS BARCLAY

Shane Bond's return from exile is likely to coincide with New Zealand's tour of Sri Lanka in August - though the country's premier fast bowler will face a gradual reintroduction to elite cricket.

Bond, 34, has declared his desire to play all forms of the game for New Zealand including tests, the format he blamed as the catalyst for many of the injuries that blighted his sporadic 17-test career.

When Bond joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in late 2007 - an unsanctioned Twenty20 competition that has since collapsed - New Zealand's greatest pace bowler since Sir Richard Hadlee was effectively banned from representing the national side.

Now back in the selection frame after severing ties with the ICL, Bond is back in training in Christchurch, and eyeing a return to international duty on the New Zealand A tour to India in August.

A bowler of Bond's pedigree might expect to be fast-tracked straight into the test team to play Sri Lanka twice that month, but he and New Zealand Cricket selection convenor Glenn Turner felt the A tour was a more realistic goal.

The intention is for Bond, form and fitness willing, to join the limited overs squad in Sri Lanka in September for five ODIs and two Twenty20 matches.

"I love test cricket - it's the pinnacle - and it would be nice to have another chance to play," said Bond, adding he did not expect to stroll straight back into the side.

There is no doubt he would be welcomed with open arms, but Turner did point out Bond had not played four-day cricket in New Zealand since 2006-07.

However, he did play county cricket for Hampshire in England last summer, taking 19 wickets in 99 overs at 19.21.

Bond confined himself to the limited overs competitions for Canterbury last season, where he proved typically dangerous with 19 wickets at 23.57.

Although he has spent at least nine weeks bowling indoors back home, Bond admitted it would take time to readjust to the demands of international cricket.

Still, his intention to play test cricket is a refreshing turnaround from the spearhead that took 79 test scalps at 22.39.

Bond said the test against South Africa in Johannesburg in November 2007 would be his last, regardless of his signing with the ICL early last year.

But a provincial campaign with Canterbury reignited his enthusiasm, Bond saying he was disappointed to only be involved in the 50 and 20-over competitions.

Turner was delighted Bond's attitude to test cricket had altered.

"He's obviously had a rethink, now we have to see if the body will stand up to it. Time will tell.

"If he can produce the goods, that's great."

Bond, who last played one-day cricket for New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, said he was not as consistently fast as a decade ago but was still clocking around the 140kmh mark.

Fellow ICL renegade Daryl Tuffey, the leading wicket taker in New Zealand's four-day competition last season, might also see his international career resurrected for the first time since the World Cup.

And Craig McMillan has not ruled out a return, though the 32-year-old also hoped to extend his fledgling career as a commentator.

Like Bond, McMillan played the last of his 197 ODIs in the World Cup semifinal defeat to Sri Lanka two years ago.

McMillan, who joined the ICL's Kolkata franchise, said he was toying with making himself available for Canterbury - and New Zealand selection.

-NZPA