48 hours: Mediocre Bond the weak link

It might be time to consider leaving Shane Bond out of New Zealand's Champions Trophy line-up, even if his schizophrenic back starts behaving.

The man whose fitness has dominated New Zealand's campaign only just managed to play against Sri Lanka on Saturday and was the least impressive of the bowlers, conceding 47 off seven overs, including five no-balls and a couple of wides.

It's true that Bond's mediocrity wasn't to blame for New Zealand's ugly seven-wicket loss (that distinction lay mainly with the batsmen), but it's also true that the 31-year-old appeared only a shadow of himself.

Ranked the third-best ODI bowler in the world, he has a lengthy history of succumbing to back injury and heat exhaustion, and was unlucky enough to be lowered by both as soon as he arrived in India.

In his first practice match he was described as looking sluggish, tired and lacking any sense of rhythm or timing, and the description could just as easily have been repeated after the Sri Lankan game.

There's no doubt that Bond is a potent weapon when firing on all cylinders, and that he's a world-class operator on the occasions he isn't being intravenously rehydrated or confined to a wheelchair.

But here are the facts:

* He has a back injury.

* He appears exhausted by the conditions.

* He's bowling poorly.

* New Zealand's next game is a "must-win" encounter.

* Temperatures are expected to top 36C.

There's also the point that the present Indian pitches are unsuited to fast-bowling, to the extent that most of the tournament wickets have so far been taken by spinners and medium-pacers.

In fact, it seems a bit similar to the conditions during the 1996 World Cup, when pacemen such as Waqar Younis, Allan Donald and Courtney Walsh all suffered because of the slowness of the pitches.

New Zealand's next game is on Wednesday against Pakistan at Mohali and, though the pitch is likely to be superior to the glued effort at Mumbai, locals are predicting it will still be on the slow side.

If that's the case, and presuming Bond hasn't suddenly transformed himself in the interim, then New Zealand coach John Bracewell could do worse than leave his shock-weapon in the dressing shed.

That would mean either a return for left-armer James Franklin, who seems in reasonable form anyway, or a maiden ODI in trying circumstances for rookie pace bowler Mark Gillespie.

Either way, it might be a better bet than persevering with Bond at a time when the express bowler appears fatigued and unable to find the explosiveness that marked his earlier exploits.

New Zealand have to beat a fired-up Pakistan side to stay in the tournament, and there's simply no room to carry a front-line bowler who - depending on the mercury levels - might or might not be up to the task.

This is meant to be no slight on Bond. Few other sportsmen could have battled injury as much as he has, and you'd be hard pressed to find someone with a better work ethic or a greater attention for detail.

But the reality at the moment is that he appears ill equipped for the challenge, despite his desperation to be involved.

Low

The transtasman league test - enough said.

High

The transtasman league test - containing all the intensity and passion that you could hope for. Easily the best footie match for the past few months.