Bond doubtful for Test series

New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who is recovering from a back stress fracture, may not be fit in time for the team's upcoming tour of India.

Bond is still a week away from returning to bowling in the nets after suffering the injury in Sri Lanka in May and New Zealand Cricket's medical co-ordinator Warren Frost on Monday made it clear that the bowler would not be rushed back to action.

"He is making very good progress but it's a long season and we won't be pushing things," Frost told the New Zealand Herald web site.

"He is pain-free which is a very good sign."

Although it is almost two months to go before New Zealand play the first Test at Ahmedabad on October 8, the chances of the Kiwi strike bowler playing the Test series are remote since he would need "at least six weeks" of build-up in the nets, starting with light four-over spells next week, before he is even considered for a match.

The one-day triangular series, with Australia as the third team and starting on October 23, would be a more realistic target for Bond, who became the fastest New Zealander to reach 50 one-day international wickets when he raced to the mark in 27 matches.

However, Frost was positive about another injured player in the side, batsman Nathan Astle, being fit in time to play the Test matches.

"We're just getting him to feel confident on the knee but we're reasonably confident he can be there for the India series," Frost said.

"He's pretty happy with how things are progressing."

Astle, New Zealand's highest one-day international run scorer with 5540 runs from 174 matches, started batting again in the nets last week after the knee surgery in April.

Star allrounder Chris Cairns was also back bowling for English county Nottinghamshire and Frost said he is progressing well with an eye on the tri-series in India.

Cairns played unconvincingly as a batsman in Sri Lanka in May after a series of injuries hampered his comeback from a knee surgery.

Frost said two other injury-troubled bowlers, Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori, are on track for India.

Meanwhile, despite being troubled by an injury to the bowling hand, New Zealand's most successful spinner Daniel Vettori said he is looking forward to his side's India tour, which is the "ultimate for a spin bowler".

Vettori, whose preparations for the India tour were severely affected as the injury forced him to return home last week from England after a brief stint with county side Nottinghamshire, said he would not be surprised to see turning tracks on the tour.

"(Indian captain Sourav) Ganguly's already on record as saying he's determined to make amends, so I'm sure we'll see pitches prepared for their spinners," Vettori said.

"But that's good news for me and I'm looking forward to it," he was quoted as saying by the web site.

Vettori was not required to bowl during India's tour last summer as New Zealand thrashed the tourists in the two Test matches played on under-prepared pitches which offered too-much lateral movements.

India also lost a one-day series that followed the Test matches.

Vettori, who had an ordinary World Cup and was dominated by fellow spinner Paul Wiseman during the tour of Sri Lanka, has more reason than most to look forward to the next month's tour.

"I'm really excited about India because it's the ultimate tour for a spin bowler," Vettori said.

Vettori's plan to gain some vital match practice with Nottinghamshire before the tour of India came unstuck after he came up with some ordinary displays before suffering an injury.

The bowler, who split the webbing between the spinning fingers of his left hand, failed to impress during the match he played against the touring India 'A' side in England, taking only one wicket for 104 runs in 14 overs.

To add to his discomfort, there were complications with his hand and he was eventually admitted to Nottingham hospital with an infected arm.

Vettori said he was frustrated with the way things went during his four weeks with the English county side.

"I didn't bowl too well in the first game but started to come right, and then I was just sidelined by the hand injury, which was extremely frustrating," he said.

 "It was a great set-up at Nottingham and I was enjoying my time there. They seemed quite happy with everything as well -- although it would have been better if I'd been able to stay injury-free.

"The most disappointing bit for me was that I was looking to get a few overs under my belt and I couldn't really."