Cricket: Bond proves fitness and looks forward to Zimbabwe tour

WELLINGTON - Fast bowler Shane Bond says he is back to full fitness after a series of back injuries and looking forward to forcing his way into New Zealand's team for their controversial tour of Zimbabwe next month.

Bond, who suffered a second stress fracture in his back during last year's tour of England, has not played test cricket since the tour of Sri Lanka in May 2003.

The 30-year-old has recently returned from an Emerging Players tournament in Brisbane where he said he felt he was getting his rhythm back.

"As it turned out my timing was nearly spot on," Bond told New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) website today.

"In the early games it was a matter of trying to get my timing and rhythm right and that took a bit of time. But by the last game I was bowling pretty quickly.

"I just need time on my feet to get back to full pace and I got very close in that last game," he said.

POLITICAL SCRUTINY

Bond has played only 10 tests since making his debut against Australia in 2001, taking 43 wickets at 24.30, and is keen to add to his tally.

"It's up to me to force my way back into the team," he said of the Zimbabwe tour which includes two tests and a triangular one-day series which also involves India.

"I would love to get into the starting 11 for either a test or a one-day international at some stage on the tour."

The tour of the southern African country has come under intense political scrutiny, with the Government leading a push to have Zimbabwe banned from the international schedule because of concerns over human rights abuses under President Robert Mugabe.

The sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), said the only way the tour could be cancelled would be for security reasons or if the Government passed legislation preventing the team from going.

NZC would be hit by a minimum ICC fine of $2 million if they cancelled the tour for any other reason.

The first test in Harare begins on August 7.

- REUTERS