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Shane Bond begged the New Zealand team management to let him play last Tuesday and is now pulling out all stops to convince them of his readiness to back up against Australia on Sunday.
The injury-ravaged paceman took a hat-trick in his first outing of the tri-series before suffering a still-undiagnosed back problem in the second match two days later, something coach John Bracewell is mindful of as he approaches New Zealand's double-header in Perth.
Having returned to snatch his 100th ODI wicket as New Zealand beat England at Adelaide on Tuesday, Bond will evidently play in only one of the two matches, and says he's keen to renew his rivalry with the hosts.
"I hope I'm not rested against Australia, it's always nice to get wickets against them," he said this week. "I want to play every game if I can, and hopefully I can get myself ready to do that."
Not only did he become the 12th New Zealander to take 100 wickets on Tuesday when he dismissed Monty Panesar in his 54th one-dayer, he also became the second-fastest in the world to reach the mark, edging out Brett Lee - who managed the feat in 55 ODIs.
Only Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who took his hundredth wicket in 53rd outing, has taken fewer matches.
Bond could have made the milestone his own if it wasn't for New Zealand's washed-out match against Sri Lanka at Hamilton, and the injury at Hobart that prevented him from bowling his full allotment.
But he's feeling confident that he'll perform effectively in whatever game he's chosen for in Perth, after appearing to move relatively freely at Adelaide while generating genuine pace, at one stage clocking 150km/h.
"It [the pace] is still there," he said. "I felt good in Adelaide and I don't think I've lost any pace from what I had. As I play more I'll get stronger and be able to maintain it. I felt good last night and the radar said that as well."
He particularly remembers one effort ball that flew off the inconsistently-paced Adelaide pitch and almost threatened the dental work of wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.
"It nearly took his head off, that one really went through," said Bond. "He [Brendon] said he nearly lost his teeth."
Bond said he wasn't sure what had gone wrong with his back at Hobart but believed it could have something to do with a ligament or joint problem, rather than anything structural or major.
"I've had a niggle since September, and this time it was a lot of the same symptoms but just more intense.
"I could have carried on [in Hobart] but it was a more a precaution that I didn't want to do any damage. The frustrating thing is I don't really know what it is."
He described the pain involved as manageable but said the real difficulties arose when his back seemed to react to the pressure by seizing up, restricting flexibility and making it near-impossible to continue.
"It still aches," he said. "I can deal with the pain but when it diminishes the back spasms and almost locks-up, which makes it difficult to bowl.
"I'm trying to work out what it is but I know it's nothing major so I'm just trying to guts through it."
