Shane Bond looking the part in Darwin

Lynn McConnell

May 22, 2002

Shane Bond's transformation into a fast bowler of the top class should be completed when he makes the New Zealand tour of the West Indies after the touring side is named tomorrow.

Bond is in Darwin, literally getting himself up to speed, to be ready for the tour after a long injury break resulted from the stress fracture in his foot.

New Zealand Cricket's player development manager Ashley Ross, who has been in Darwin with Bond was in no doubt about the bowler who will return from Australia after a last club match on Saturday.

"When he went to Australia last summer we hoped he was an international player, now he looks like one," Ross said when comparing the re-developed Bond to the player who burst onto the scene in Australia.

As much as ensuring Bond had some bowling under his belt, and perfecting some changes in his delivery action, the Darwin stint has also been about helping Bond cope with the hot weather problem that resulted in him suffering heat stroke in Brisbane earlier in the year.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming described Bond as "blowing a radiator" in the Australian heat.

Ross said the problem Bond suffers in high temperatures, with high humidity, is actually getting rid of his body heat.

"We thought it best to come to a place where they have some expertise in this area, and while the strategies may apply to other sports we are trying to work out, and test, what is manageable for cricket," Ross said.

The effort in evaluating Bond's performance in terms of his injury had also been very pleasing.

This involves a ball-by-ball analysis of where he is landing.

Ross said that every ball Bond had bowled so far had been within the prescribed bounds of safety they were working to.

"He bowled 12 overs on Monday, 14 overs yesterday and will bowl 16 overs on Friday," he said.

It was a case of having the changes to his action programmed into Bond so that when he was under stress in long bowling stints in matches, he did the correct thing by instinct rather than having to worry about having one more thing to remember.

The development in that area had been good and Ross said the emphasis now "is not about safety, but about perfection."

New Zealand's increasing use of Darwin, and the non-one-day playing members of the team for the West Indies are likely to travel there for pre-tour preparation next week, had been extremely well received by locals.

"In an isolated centre like Darwin they actually see it as a type of bench-marking for them. It is also beneficial for them as they can look at the preparation that an international player like Shane puts in, while the young wicket-keepers can see what it is like to keep to a bowler of his pace.

"There are huge amounts of support for us and Darwin offers us very exciting possibilities.

"The facilities here are far superior to anything for club cricket in New Zealand," Ross said.

New Zealand Cricket deserved a lot of credit for under-taking this initiative, it was a truly professional preparation for a player like Bond.

It didn't ensure he wouldn't have an injury, but it at least reduced the possibility of injury and that had to be a significant step in eliminating the injury concerns in the New Zealand game.

Instead of Bond working indoors in 10 degrees Celsius, he could be outdoors playing in 30 degrees of heat.

The teams for the West Indies are to be named at 1pm tomorrow in Christchurch.

© Cricinfo

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