KEY POINTS:
It has been a 3- year wait for New Zealand cricket speedster Shane Bond to eye another chance to boil his bunny.
Cricket-speak for a batsman who inexplicably clams up at the sight of a certain bowler has rarely been used to describe Australian captain Ricky Ponting, the man who dismisses wayward deliveries to the boundary like he's swatting a fly.
But Bond has provoked rare uncertainty in Ponting, a much-needed psychological tick for the Black Caps who enter tonight's Champions Trophy semifinal at Mohali as, predictably, rank outsiders.
Six times Ponting has faced up to Bond in one-day internationals, and six times the bowler has sent him back to the pavilion. The last was at the World Cup super six match at Port Elizabeth in March 2003, when Stephen Fleming's safe hands held the catch at first slip as Bond embarked on one of the great bowling spells to claim a New Zealand record six for 23.
A New Zealand batting collapse saw Australia still win by 96 runs that day but Bond confirmed his huge respect among opposing batsmen.
"You have to bowl very well to these guys otherwise they hurt you," Bond said at the time.
"I know where I can bowl to these guys to get them out."
He walked away from St George's Park with an ODI average of 10.45 against Australia - 22 wickets from six matches.
Agonisingly for the Black Caps, his ongoing back stress fractures and spinal fusion surgery have conspired to ensure Bond hasn't played Australia since.
It's been 14 ODI's against the world champions with Bond on the sidelines, and New Zealand have won just two - their previous epic meeting in Christchurch in December when they chased down 332 with two wickets and an over to spare, and a four-wicket victory in Melbourne two seasons ago.
In his last 10 innings against New Zealand, without Bond, Ponting has plundered 507 runs at 56.33. In Sunday's crucial win over India, Ponting's 58 broke a mini-slump of 12 runs from his previous four innings.
Bond goes into tonight's match again under a cloud, having finished his 10-over spell of three for 45 during last Wednesday's win over Pakistan with a hamstring twinge.
Bond missed New Zealand's tournament-opening win over South Africa due to lower back soreness and returned in the seven-wicket loss to Sri Lanka, conceding 46 runs from seven overs, including four no-balls.
The pace bowler said afterwards he was grumpy with himself and made amends against Pakistan, nearing his trademark 150km/h speed and removing Imran Farhat and dangermen Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq to sound the Australians a warning.
But history isn't on New Zealand's side when they meet Australia for the 101st time.
In 14 matches at neutral venues, New Zealand have beaten Australia just once, the memorable five-wicket victory at Cardiff during the 1999 World Cup.
New South Wales' TAB Sportsbet yesterday rated Australia as $1.26 favourites to New Zealand's $3.50.
- NZPA
