A glimmer of hope Bond may return to Blackcaps..

Cricinfo - Bond revisits his stance on comeback

Bond revisits his stance on comeback

Cricinfo staff

April 5, 2009
Shane Bond has recovered from his stomach bug and is ready to take on Sri Lanka in the semi-final, Jamaica, April 23, 2007
Shane Bond's return would be good news for New Zealand cricket. © Getty Images

Six months after he turned his back on New Zealand cricket, Shane Bond has said he misses the game and is priming himself for a return to first-class cricket for Canterbury next season. The ICL is willing to release some of its foreign players from their contracts so they can play international cricket for a short period, and Bond was hopeful that his international ban would come to and end.

Bond has decided not to play in England over the winter, with his daughter starting school in a few months, and said he would use his spare time to get back to full fitness. "I've told [my wife] Trace I want to play another couple of seasons and I've told the Canterbury coach I want to play four-day cricket next season," Bond told the Sunday Star-Times. "I'm going to try to get as fit as I can over the winter and try to play for as long as I can.

"I miss that cricket; even though it's the hardest cricket, it's the most rewarding, and that's why I'd like to play again next summer here. Physically things went well this summer but I wasn't at the height of my fitness. So that's why I'm having this winter off, to get back to the same level of fitness I used to have, because I still think I can bowl quick and keep going for another couple of years."

The ICL had cancelled its March-April international programme due to the deepening economic recession and non-availability of Pakistan players. The unauthorised league has also placed on hold its payments to several players pending a performance appraisal, Bond included.

"I'm a firm believer in keeping the contracts intact. If they can't fulfill their contract it's an opportunity to move, but if they can then I will stay with them," said Bond. "As far as the politics goes, it's out of my hands. Things can change pretty quick to be fair, so all I can do is keep myself in the best shape to make a decision one way or the other."

Last month Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said that if the players end their association with the unofficial league, they will be immediately available for selection to the New Zealand national side. Besides fast bowlers Bond and Daryll Tuffey, the other active New Zealand players who are part of the ICL are allrounder Andre Adams and batsman Lou Vincent.

Bond did not expect an automatic return to the national side, whose next assignment is the ICC World Twenty20 in June before a tour to Sri Lanka in August. "If I decided to play again [for New Zealand] I'd have to earn my spot, I wouldn't expect an open door policy to get me back in; you have to get there on merit," he said.

Well let's hope he come's back, but at 33 and so long out of the game who knows how good he'll be. I really hope he come's back at his best though, makes NZ twic the side they are right now.

He was awesome in a 20/20 game I watched him in this year, took 2 wickets in the first over with his pace and inswing. Still looks the goods.

Might be good to have him back for the ODIs and the 20/20s but I dont think he should be anywhere near the test team. Too unreliable.

I hope Justin Vaughan is more informed when he says "if the players end their association with the unofficial league, they will be immediately available for selection to the New Zealand national side" than he was when he was telling Bond that the ICL would be fine and wouldn't affect his ability to play for NZ.

I've yet to hear anything from the BCCI to suggest that they'll be happy with anyone returning having played ICL. I do hope that that is indeed the case, but worry that it might not be.

Give him four or five over spells in tests imo, keep the workload light. Maybe even slow down a wee bit. Would still kick arse because of his accuracy and movement and variation. Could take a few tips from Vaas actualy.

I don't see what his age has to do with anything. If he is good enough, he is young enough, and screw 'the future' if he is in the top 3-4 pacers in the country at the time of a test match and he has said he is available he should play, end of.

He is still streets ahead of any other bowler in New Zealand, and probably the world. He showed that in the domestic T20 and OD matches. Still had good pace too.

Richard said:

I hope Justin Vaughan is more informed when he says "if the players end their association with the unofficial league, they will be immediately available for selection to the New Zealand national side" than he was when he was telling Bond that the ICL would be fine and wouldn't affect his ability to play for NZ.

I've yet to hear anything from the BCCI to suggest that they'll be happy with anyone returning having played ICL. I do hope that that is indeed the case, but worry that it might not be.

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Now that the series is in the bag, BCCI will agree.

The BCCI's stance has absolutely nothing to do with what series they're currently involved in and everything to do with wanting to crush a league which has stepped on something which they are used to having a monotony over.

Halfpast_Yellow said:

I don't see what his age has to do with anything. If he is good enough, he is young enough, and screw 'the future' if he is in the top 3-4 pacers in the country at the time of a test match and he has said he is available he should play, end of.

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The only thing his age has to do with is whether he's still going to be good enough. It's fairly likely that he is, of course, but a 33-year-old body that's already broken-down many times is fair game for the question to be asked of it.

zinzan12 said:

Cricinfo - Bond revisits his stance on comeback

Bond revisits his stance on comeback

Cricinfo staff

April 5, 2009
Shane Bond has recovered from his stomach bug and is ready to take on Sri Lanka in the semi-final, Jamaica, April 23, 2007
Shane Bond's return would be good news for New Zealand cricket. © Getty Images

Six months after being royally shafted by the BCCI's lap-dog, New Zealand cricket, Shane Bond has said he misses the game and is priming himself for a return to first-class cricket for Canterbury next season. The ICL is willing to release some of its foreign players from their contracts so they can play international cricket for a short period, and Bond was hopeful that his international ban would come to and end.

Bond has decided not to play in England over the winter, with his daughter starting school in a few months, and said he would use his spare time to get back to full fitness. "I've told [my wife] Trace I want to play another couple of seasons and I've told the Canterbury coach I want to play four-day cricket next season," Bond told the Sunday Star-Times. "I'm going to try to get as fit as I can over the winter and try to play for as long as I can.

"I miss that cricket; even though it's the hardest cricket, it's the most rewarding, and that's why I'd like to play again next summer here. Physically things went well this summer but I wasn't at the height of my fitness. So that's why I'm having this winter off, to get back to the same level of fitness I used to have, because I still think I can bowl quick and keep going for another couple of years."

The ICL had cancelled its March-April international programme due to the deepening economic recession and non-availability of Pakistan players. The unauthorised league has also placed on hold its payments to several players pending a performance appraisal, Bond included.

"I'm a firm believer in keeping the contracts intact. If they can't fulfill their contract it's an opportunity to move, but if they can then I will stay with them," said Bond. "As far as the politics goes, it's out of my hands. Things can change pretty quick to be fair, so all I can do is keep myself in the best shape to make a decision one way or the other."

Last month Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said that if the players end their association with the unofficial league, they will be immediately available for selection to the New Zealand national side. Besides fast bowlers Bond and Daryll Tuffey, the other active New Zealand players who are part of the ICL are allrounder Andre Adams and batsman Lou Vincent.

Bond did not expect an automatic return to the national side, whose next assignment is the ICC World Twenty20 in June before a tour to Sri Lanka in August. "If I decided to play again [for New Zealand] I'd have to earn my spot, I wouldn't expect an open door policy to get me back in; you have to get there on merit," he said.

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Corrected

scuppered

okay 1st off the bcci have the money NOT the power nor any balls.

Yea it'd be good to get the icl players back, Bond and Tuffey have expressed their interest but I'm not sure wether Andre Adams who's playing for notts as a kolpak player (though now that Bracewell has gone it'll certainly be a temptatoin) or Lou Vincent are as keen. All would be really useful additions to the team, pity there's only 1 batsmen out of them all.

Waiting for developments on this, Pakistan named a few of their players then wussed out and withdrew them and are now going on about a stand down period of some sort.

Also the ICL has said it's a "release" implying that they'll still want the guys for the next season but if thats the case ya might see come contract issues coming up, though there are at the moment with players yet to be paid money owed to them which could come into it.

JBH001 said:

Might be good to have him back for the ODIs and the 20/20s but I dont think he should be anywhere near the test team. Too unreliable.

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Tell me mate, why is Bond considered not good enough for Test matches. Is it to do with his fitness or is it his skill sets or is it his actual performance. I have always wondered.

And yes I rate him very high

It's only to do with his fitness, believe me.

SJS said:

Tell me mate, why is Bond considered not good enough for Test matches. Is it to do with his fitness or is it his skill sets or is it his actual performance. I have always wondered.

And yes I rate him very high

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It's not that he's not good enough, it's his appaling fitness record that counts against him.

If he's well managed, he could have one last hurrah at the World Cup in India. That's less likely to happen if he plays Tests as well though.

I find it extraordinarily unlikely that Bond will still be ODI-class (and fit for them) in 2010/11. Obviously, I'd love it if he was and did indeed play in said WC, but it's so unlikely it's untrue.