Bond struggling for fitness

Shane Bond seems unlikely to be fit in time for New Zealand's Test series in India, after making a slow recovery from a stress fracture in his back. Bond, who picked up the injury in Sri Lanka in May, is New Zealand's most potent strike bowler, and consequently his medical team have promised not to rush him back into action.

Bond is currently at least a week away from being able to bowl in the nets, and thereafter he will be limited to light sessions of four overs at a time. That leaves him well short of the 15-20 overs he would be required to send down in a Test match. The first Test against India starts in Ahmedabad on October 8.

"Shane is making very good progress but it's a long season and we won't be pushing things," said NZ Cricket's medical co-ordinator Warren Frost. "He is pain-free which is a very good sign, but he will need at least six weeks of build-up." A more realistic target for Bond would be the one-day triangular tournament involving Australia, starting on October 23.

There was better news, however, concerning Nathan Astle. He underwent knee surgery back in April, but has started to bat again in the nets, and is almost ready to resume international cricket. "We're just getting him [Astle] to feel confident on the knee but we're reasonably confident he can be there for the India series," said Frost. "He's pretty happy with how things are progressing."