KEY POINTS:
Shane Bond will return home from New Zealand's tri-series campaign unless he can prove his match fitness by Tuesday.
The 31-year-old fast-bowler, forced from the field with back trouble during his team's second one-dayer, was scratched from today's outing against Australia and is almost certain to miss Tuesday's game against England.
Team manager Lindsay Crocker said yesterday that if Bond was unable to demonstrate his fitness for the Adelaide game, he would likely return home as New Zealand flew to Perth for their double-header at the Waca, next Sunday and Tuesday week.
Bond was yesterday cleared of any obvious complication in his back, having previously been cleared of suffering what would have been a career-ending stress-fracture.
However, he was still feeling restricted as he tried to play through the pain during a practice session.
Crocker said that if he wasn't right by Tuesday, he would be the most likely candidate to drop to allow room for returning colleague Kyle Mills.
"If he doesn't get right over the next three or four days we'll have to make a decision because we'll be up to a 16-strong squad, and we can't sustain that," he said.
"We'll head on to Perth with 15 players - without Shane if he doesn't come right or without someone else if Shane's considered a prospect."
Crocker also said that Scott Styris, whose return was delayed by an 11th-hour calf strain, remained a "work in progress" and could join the team in Perth or Melbourne.
New Zealand will receive reinforcements tomorrow at Adelaide in the form of Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills.
Meanwhile, England captain Michael Vaughan will miss the match against New Zealand on Tuesday with a torn hamstring.
