Bond ruled out of second Test

Trailing one-nil after their defeat at Lord's, New Zealand's hopes of fighting back received a severe setback when Shane Bond was ruled out of the second Test with a sore back.

Bond had played a couple of warm-up games on tour and was expected to return for the Headingley Test, which starts on June 3. However, he had complained of soreness in his back since the last tour match against Kent more than a week back, forcing the team management to opt for a bone scan. The result of the scan is expected in a day, but Bond will definitely not play the tour game against Leicestershire which begins on Friday, and hence won't be match-fit for the second Test.

Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand team manager, clarified that no stand-by had been named yet. "We don't want to speculate until there is a definite answer tomorrow," Crocker said. "There is no thought of replacements yet. We want to be very careful with him, hopefully he'll get through tomorrow and we can work on getting him right."

Even if the results reveal that Bond can play the third Test, he will go into that game with no further match practice as there is only a two-day break between the second and third Tests. If he is forced out of the series, Ian Butler or Michael Mason is likely to be called up.

The setback to Bond means that New Zealand will go into the second Test without much bowling firepower. Their bowling attack was quite insipid at Lord's, taking 124 overs to bowl England out in the first innings, and struggling for penetration on the last day, as England coasted to their target of 282 losing just three wickets - one of which was a run-out.

There was better news for the New Zealand camp on another injury issue when it was announced that Jacob Oram was expected to recover from his side strain in time for the second Test. He will, however, sit out of Friday's tour match, as will Mark Richardson. Crocker also stated that Gareth Hopkins, the Otago wicketkeeper, would join the team and play against Leicestershire, while Brendon McCullum, the regular keeper, would play as a specialist batsman.