Tuffey, rebel with a cause

Bowler gets lifeline after thinking test career was over

Reuters

BACK IN ACTION: Darryl Tuffey is set to replace the injured Shane Bond in the second test against Pakistan in Wellington.

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Shane Bond's pain is Daryl Tuffey's gain.

A distraught Bond was yesterday ruled out of the Pakistan test series after discovering a 1cm tear in his abdominal muscle.

Bond won man-of-the-match in the first test in Dunedin after a two- year hiatus in the Indian Cricket League.

Another returning rebel, Tuffey is now set to take his place in the second test, starting tomorrow at the Basin Reserve.

Tuffey's last test was against England at Leeds in 2004. The 31-year-old has played 22 tests, taking 66 wickets at an average of 31.16 but it appeared his career would stall before both he and Bond announced their returns from the international wilderness.

Tuffey would have been surplus to requirements in Wellington before Bond's injury and had asked to play in Auckland's Plunket Shield match tomorrow. But now he's back on the big stage.

"Obviously it's disappointing for Shane with that injury," Tuffey said.

"But it always works in roundabouts like that and I've been on the receiving end of injuries and giving other guys chances. He's a good mate of mine and I'm really disappointed for him."

Tuffey is in good nick. The tall seamer was rated the pick of the fast bowlers in domestic cricket last summer and snared 2-47 in 19 overs against Pakistan in a warmup game last month.

"I did pretty well so it was good to have a run against them. I've played Pakistan a few times in my test career and I've done pretty well against them [24 wickets at an average of 26.5], which is kind of nice to have in the back of the mind.

"If my name is read out, which is obviously looking more and more likely with Shane being out, I'm just looking forward to the opportunity."

Tuffey admitted he had given up on again playing tests for New Zealand while playing in the ICL but immediately set his sights high when he returned last year.

"No, I never thought I would have been playing test cricket again. But it's funny how things have panned out."

Tuffey said he was unsure if he was now a better bowler than five years ago but felt both wiser and fitter than in those days. With constant rain in Wellington over the last two days, he can expect helpful conditions if selected alongside Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien.

He has a score to settle too.

Tuffey's last test at the Basin was against Pakistan in 2003 when speedster Shoaib Akhtar pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. "So I'd like to rectify that, [and] beat Pakistan again and win the series."

As for Bond, he was left to again front a press conference and explain his latest battle with his body.

Yesterday morning he went for a precautionary scan and was "shocked" when informed of the tear.

"Just re-run the tapes," Bond said.

"It's frustrating. I got a bit of a shock when they said there was a bit of a tear there. I could probably play but, if I did, there could be a chance that you just blow it completely and then you're out for a long time."

Questions will be raised over the decision to bowl Bond for 48.5 overs on his test comeback in Dunedin - but not from the man himself.

"I don't know if it's the workload. I've prepared for this for the last four months, bowled a lot of overs in the nets and had all the one-day series. That's just the nature of cricket."

Bond hoped to make his return in domestic cricket for Canterbury after Christmas.

- © Fairfax NZ News