Auckland, September 05: New Zealand speedster Shane Bond is feeling relaxed and confident two games into his international comeback.
“I’m really pleased. I’m pleased the way I’m bowling at the end of an innings,” Bond said.
“I haven’t really done a lot of work on it, just these games here and one game in India, and it seems to be going pretty well so far.
“I suppose I’m no spring chicken any more but I’ve got a lot of experience to call on. I feel really relaxed and I feel really confident the way things are going for me and I’ve just got to keep working hard and doing the things I’ve been doing. It’s good.”
Bond, who has been off the international scene since 2007 when he signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League, was recently welcomed back with open arms by New Zealand since cutting ties with the ICL.
Although his first international match was a mixed bag – Bond got hit for four consecutive fours by Dilshan, then gave away just 11 runs in his next 3 overs – his next outing was much more fruitful, with Bond picking up 3 for 18 in his four overs, including the key wicket of Dilshan.
“It was great (to get him early). He gave me some stick in the last game but I had a real clear game-plan of how I wanted to attack him this time and it worked perfectly,” Bond told Radio Sport.
“It’s just one of those things. It was a good feeling to put a plan in place and get his wicket. I’ll obviously need to do some similar things in the one-day series because he is still in great form.”
The Black Caps’ next assignment is a short one-day tri series with Sri Lanka and India.
“It’s going to be tough. You’re pretty tired after 20 overs in this heat so a day-nighter and 50 overs you might be able out in the sun in the afternoon so it’s going to be tough work,” admitted Bond.
“The boys have just got to rest up and just get ready and play the sort of cricket they’ve been playing in these Twenty20s and we’ll have a pretty good chance.”
—-Agencies