Cricket: Tuffey wants to bowl at the death

Pace bowler Daryl Tuffey has volunteered for one of New Zealand cricket's most troublesome positions on his return to the team.

The Black Caps assembled in Auckland yesterday for the opening one-day match against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day and Tuffey was 100 per cent fit after missing recent tours to Bangladesh and Australia through a blood disorder, the Dominion Post reported.

"I can't wait to get stuck in again," Tuffey said.

"The (one-day) side is going really well at the moment, so that's quite exciting, and hopefully I can contribute to that.

"Obviously I want to take the new ball and I'm also keen to bowl at the death. I enjoy it, I like the challenge."

Death bowling has been something of a disaster area for New Zealand, though to be fair it has tidied up under coach John Bracewell.

Tuffey has been one of the most reliable bowlers in that area, but it was the manner with which he delivered his intentions yesterday which augurs well for Boxing Day.

After a lengthy spell away from the international scene, his return to form was confirmed in the opening two rounds of the State Championship.

While he picked up seven wickets, including four for 38 in the second innings, against Central Districts in Napier last week, Tuffey was more heartened by his first-up performance against Auckland.

"I actually felt I bowled better against Auckland.

"Things started to click there, but Napier was good as well." Tuffey, whose statistical goal for the summer is to improve his test tally of 83 wickets to three figures, acknowledges tackling the Sri Lankans will be a considerable step up.

"(Sanath) Jayasuriya is destructive and the likes of (Mahela) Jayawardene, (Marvan) Atapattu and (Kumar) Sangakarra are top-class players.

"They are really proficient at working relatively straight balls through mid-wicket. I've played them a fair bit and I've got a lot of respect for them."

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will almost certainly be without towering left-armer Nuwan Zoysa for the opening two matches of the one-day series.

Zoysa dislocated a finger attempting a return catch against Central Districts on Tuesday night and manager Brendan Kuruppu said he was likely to be sidelined for a week.

The second match is in Napier on December 29.

- NZPA