KEY POINTS:
If Shane Bond's constitution was as iron-clad as his reputation, it might have been a different story at the Grenada National Stadium yesterday.
But alas, the man who's already missed more one-day internationals than he's played added another to his tally yesterday morning when he awoke, vomiting and ill, and had to be withdrawn from the New Zealand playing 11.
Bond was so sick he spent the morning with a doctor before being whisked back to the team hotel, well away from the scene of his team's dire capitulation to Australia.
It was almost a copy of his experience at Wellington a year previous, when he was forced out of the test against the West Indies only an hour before the start, after succumbing to a mystery stomach ailment.
The only slight consolation was the news that Bond is expected to recover quickly from his bug and should be right for the semifinal against Sri Lanka.
Manager Lindsay Crocker said the team were hopeful Bond would be able to attend either an optional practice today, or the light pre-game run on Tuesday.
"They don't think it will last long, but it caused him an uncomfortable night and gave him no chance of turning out against Australia."
Crocker rejected talk that Bond's absence was all part of a cunning plan from New Zealand, based on the idea of having him fresh and rested for the semifinal at Sabina Park, rather than taxing him.
"No, Bondy was genuinely ill and simply couldn't play," he said. "It was our full intention to include him in the line-up, just as we'd been saying during the days leading up to the game."
The team will arrive in Kingston at about 4pm and will have no time for practice, meaning they'll have just one more light run before the showdown on Wednesday.
