Bond looking to learn about his bowling with Warwickshire

Shane Bond is looking to his time in English county cricket with Warwickshire this year as a chance to learn more about handling himself in order to give longevity to his career.

Bond, who was one of New Zealand's leading lights in their failed World Cup campaign, said on his return to Christchurch today that he was looking forward to the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka and his county campaign.

It would be about learning how hard to push himself and when to push himself.

There would always be injuries for bowlers but Bond said if he knew how to look after himself it would be useful in extending the longevity of his career.

Bond said he took a great deal of confidence from his performance in last summer's VB Series into the World Cup and while he was frustrated by a lack of returns in the earlier games in the tournament, he had always felt a big performance was not too far away.

That came with his New Zealand record effort of six for 23 against Australia in Port Elizabeth.

"The Australian game was the best I've bowled in an international game," he said.

Bond said he was not affected by not having a bowler doing equally as well from the other end.

"I try not to focus on what the other guy is doing. I focus on the job I have to do," he said.

Bond said he wasn't affected by the pressures of expectation that were on him after his performances in Australia last summer and in New Zealand.

"Regardless of how hyped up it is you have your own expectations anyway," he said.

Against the Australians the biggest challenge was in the mind. Often in Australia the home media built up the pressure by their hype of the home team and other players were possibly guilty of standing off to the Australians as a result. But after the confidence he gained last summer he was not so affected.

Bond said he wasn't a bowler who tried to bowl every type of ball that was going, he knew the limitations of his bowling and that was what he liked to stick to, he said.

Chris Cairns described the tournament as "frustrating."

While he didn't have the match preparation that other members of the side enjoyed, he did have the experience.

He agreed that his shot selection and execution had not been 'quite there'.

He had been driven to be part of the New Zealand side at a World Cup and it had been disappointing not to live up to expectations.

Just what his role might be on New Zealand's tour to Sri Lanka he said was a matter for the selectors.

Cairns said that it was too soon after the Cup experience, and it was still too raw to digest what had gone on at the tournament.

"We need to let the dust settle," he said.

Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Denis Aberhart said he was available for another term in his role and that while the side had not done as well as he might have wanted it did have a record that was more than comparable with recent records.

Some bright young players had been brought into the side and had done well and he hoped New Zealand Cricket would look favourably on him to continue in the role.