Bond hoping to be bowling again by November

Shane Bond, New Zealand's fastest bowler, is hoping to be fit and bowling again by the end of November. On August 19, Bond underwent a complicated operation to treat a back injury, with bone being grafted from his hip to his vertebrae with bolts and titanium wire, and his surgeon is reportedly pleased with the results.

"I've got running to do for the next six weeks. If the surgeon's happy, I'll be bowling in about six to eight weeks," Bond told the Sunday Star-Times. "The biggest thing is that the surgeon thinks my back is in perfect condition apart from that one vertebra. The true test is when I start bowling, and for now it's just a matter of doing the hard yards until the bowling kicks around. I'm pretty optimistic."

The time frame given for his full recovery means that Bond, 29, could make his comeback against Australia, who tour New Zealand in February next year for five one-dayers and three Tests. New Zealand will certainly be hoping Bond is in the side for the tour - he has taken 22 one-day wickets, including 6 for 23 at Port Elizabeth in the World Cup last year, against the Australians at an average of just 10.45.

However, if his back injury recurs when he starts bowling again, Bond has accepted that his career will probably be over. "I know that if it doesn't work, that's probably it," he said. "And I think I could live with that, knowing that I'd tried everything within my power."

During his enforced break, Bond became a father for the first time with the birth of his daughter 11 weeks ago, and this has helped keep things in perspective. "We've been very lucky," he added. "It has been awesome, and everything is going great."