Bond told Kiwi newspaper the Sunday Star-Times: "I've got running to do for the next six weeks. If the surgeon's happy I'll be bowling in about six to eight weeks."

On August 19, Bond underwent a complicated back operation.

Bone was grafted from his hip to his vertebrae with bolts and titanium wire and his surgeon is pleased.

The 29-year-old is aiming to play club cricket soon after Christmas.

His first international appearance could be against Australia when they start a tour in February 2005 for five one-dayers and three Tests.

"The biggest thing is that the surgeon thinks my back is in perfect condition apart from that one veterbra," said Bond.

"The true test is when I start bowling and for now it's just a matter of doing the hard yards until the bowling kicks around. I'm pretty optimistic."

However, if his back fails when he resumes bowling, he accepts that his career will probably be at an end.

"I know that if it doesn't work, that's probably it. And I think I could live with that, knowing that I'd tried everything within my power."

Bond burst back on to the scene in the summer of 2001-02, dumping the Australians out of their own VB Series, and when he has been fit he has been one of the finest fast bowlers in the world.

The enforced break has been hugely frustrating for Bond but the birth of his daughter 11 weeks ago helped put things in perspective.

"We've been very lucky. It has been awesome and everything is going great," he said of first-time fatherhood.