Cricket: Bond goes the distance - and then some - in memorable test show

Shane Bond (centre) is mobbed by teammates after he bowled Jerome Taylor to secure the first test win. Picture / Greg Bowker

Meet the new and improved version of Shane Bond.

Now titanium reinforced and tuned to last the distance, the 30-year-old fast-bowler was the man who made the difference in New Zealand's 27-run win over the West Indies, capturing a five-wicket bag as the first test was wrapped up inside 35 minutes yesterday morning.

Bond, who recovered from major back surgery last year, provided the clearest evidence yet that he was ready to enter a new phase of his career, not least with his remarkable feat of bowling just two deliveries at Brian Lara, and defeating him both times.

Having already taken four wickets on Sunday, Bond was not to be denied when the test resumed yesterday morning, following up an initial strike by Daniel Vettori to bowl Jerome Taylor and end with five for 69 - his fourth five-wicket bag in tests.

In his limited opportunities so far, the right-armer has taken 63 test wickets at the impressive average 20.49 and, more relevantly, 19 wickets at 18.00 in three tests against the West Indies, including three five wicket bags.

But his effort on Sunday, when he turned in an exhausting spell of intelligent and demanding swing bowling - eventually managing to turn the test New Zealand's way - was much more than a statistical triumph.

Employing respectable pace and a menacing bouncer, Bond mixed reverse swing with his stock delivery to outwit the West Indian resistance, and in doing so revealed another string to his bow: a variation on his usual flat-out approach.

"I think I'm smarter than what I used to be," he said. "I used to just run in and try to bowl as fast as possible, but I'm a little smarter now.

"It's good because I didn't just want to come back and catch up, I wanted to come back and be better - so hopefully I'm heading down the right track."

Bond provided one of the many significant moments of the test on Sunday when he felled Ramnaresh Sarwan with a bouncer to the head and bowled Lara with his next delivery, and then carried on to chip out Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith.

His efforts undermined the tourists' marvellous start to the chase and would leave them in a terminal downward spiral.

"When Bondy knocked over Lara, Sarwan and Smith, that was a massive turning point," skipper Stephen Fleming said afterwards. "His effort throughout that fourth afternoon was a match-winning one."

New Zealand will head for Wellington today to begin preparations for the second test at the Basin Reserve, and Bond said he was feeling none the worse for his long spell at the bowling crease, apart from some minor stiffness in his knee.

"I always want to put myself up as the spearhead and want to put myself in a position where I can do something big for the team," Bond said. "I just take the attitude that if I don't do it, no-one else will. All I was trying to do yesterday was bowl well, regardless of the result.

"I was really pleased. That would be one of the best wins I've been involved in. It's hugely satisfying to come back from something like 148 without loss and win."

Fleming also described the win as a sweet result, saying that although his team's overall performance was substandard, it was a nice change to have something to show for the scrap.

"We were below par but we had to really fight to win the test and often - with teams I've been previously involved in - we'd fight but were never good enough to win," he said. "This time there was enough character within. I'm really delighted with the result. I've had 26 wins, and this is up there in terms of what we've had to do. Our performance wasn't what we wanted or expected, but we did enough."

SECOND TEST
Basin Reserve, Wellington
Starting Friday