Cricket: Bond adds outswinger to arsenal

New Zealand cricket coach John Bracewell says his star fast bowler Shane Bond has exceeded expectations in his injury comeback, and has even added a new delivery to his armoury for the England tour.

Bond joins his 13 New Zealand team-mates on the plane today for their 10-week epic - his first tour in almost a year since suffering a back stress fracture in Sri Lanka.

He, fellow paceman Daryl Tuffey and key batsman Nathan Astle were all given a clean bill of health after fitness tests yesterday.

It means the first full-strength New Zealand touring side to leave these shores in 2 1/2 years, since the drawn 0-0 series in Australia in 2001.

Bracewell said Bond had worked hard with New Zealand Cricket's high-performance manager Ashley Ross and academy director Dayle Hadlee - a former test paceman.

"I'm delighted with what they've done with his action, it was an extremely difficult assignment and he was only a 20 per cent chance to tour England when they started," Bracewell said.

"The signs are he will lose none of his pace, and his new wrist position has enabled him to bowl an outswinger."

Bond's stock delivery is the inswinger, but the ability to take the ball away from the right-hander will add a new dimension to the man who has taken 43 wickets from 10 tests.

Bracewell was non-committal about Bond being available for the first test at Lord's on May 20 - he hasn't yet tested his remodelled action at full pace since returning to club cricket last month.

But there was no such caution with Tuffey, who Bracewell expects to spearhead the bowling attack in the test series, despite his recent struggles with a left knee injury.

Astle, meanwhile, would be on trial in the three warm-up matches, starting against British Universities on May 3, as he battles back from knee surgery.

NZ squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Michael Papps, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Shane Bond.

- NZPA