Bond set to take first tentative steps since back injury

New Zealand cricket holds its breath tomorrow as its most priceless asset steps gingerly back into what he does best - bowling fast. Shane Bond is set to play on the opening day of Christchurch's cricket competition. But the breath may have to be held a little longer.

Shocking weather is forecast for the second time this week and the most likely prospect is that players will be clubhouse bound watching the rain fall. Bond has been out of action since suffering a stress fracture in his bank during a one-day international in Sri Lanka in May.

Bond plays for the Old Boys club in the Christchurch competition and has been quietly building up for club duty, working at 80-90% of capacity and bowling 10-over spells, indoors, three times a week. He did say that it was possible he might have been available for the tri-series between India, New Zealand and Australia next month, but it was thought a more managed build-up would be best for him in the longer run.

He will not only play club cricket, but will also be involved in the pre-season programme of games played at New Zealand Cricket's High Performance Centre at Lincoln University between the New Zealand Academy and the major association sides, starting later this month.

Bond said his back had been coping well with the recovery programme and he had also been doing some strengthening work to help reduce the load on the injured area. It hasn't been a lone programme, he has had another stress fracture sufferer Wade Cornelius, to work with. Cornelius damaged his back after a highly-encouraging debut season in first-class cricket for Canterbury two seasons ago, when he was shaping as a prospectively significant bowler in New Zealand's future.