Bond wants to play Tests, may revive international career

With New Zealand Cricket ready to welcome back players breaking away from the rebel Indian Cricket League, pacer Shane Bond says he may consider reviving his Test career.

Bond said he is working hard on his fitness to return to first-class cricket for Canterbury next season. The pacer said it is up to the ICL to honour its contract with him as he wouldn't walk away first.

"I'm a firm believer in keeping the contracts (ICL) intact. If they can't fulfill their contract it's an opportunity to move, but if they can then I will stay with them," Bond was quoted as saying in the Dominion post.

"There are a few issues (with the ICL) but I'm not going to go into them. Right now I'm contracted to them (ICL) and whether they want to release me or not is up to them.

"As far as the politics goes, it's out of my hands. Things can change pretty quick to be fair, so all I can do is keep myself in the best shape to make a decision one way or the other," Bond, who had vowed not to play for New Zealand again after being abandoned by NZC due to his joining the ICL, added.

Even if Bond decides to play for the Black Caps again, he knows it won't be easy to regain his berth in the squad, which will play in the Twenty20 World Championship in June before touring Sri Lanka in August.

"If I decided to play again (for New Zealand) I'd have to earn my spot, I wouldn't expect an open door policy to get me back in; you have to get there on merit."

Bond said he is working hard to be back in peak fitness for the domestic season. "I've told the Canterbury coach I want to play four-day cricket next season. I'm going to try to get as fit as I can over the winter and try to play for as long as I can."

"I miss that cricket; even though it's the hardest cricket, it's the most rewarding, and that's why I'd like to play again next summer here.

"Physically things went well this summer but I wasn't at the height of my fitness. So that's why I'm having this winter off, to get back to the same level of fitness I used to have, because I still think I can bowl quick and keep going for another couple of years."

The issue of officially recognising the ICL will be discussed when the ICC meets in Dubai later this month.