Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 806 Fri. September 01, 2006  
   
Sports


Champions Trophy
Bond raring to go


Injury-prone New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond says he had fully recovered after breaking down on his country's tour of South Africa in April and was looking forward to spearheading his team's bowling in the October-November ICC Champions Trophy in India.

"I am fully fit now and am looking forward to play in the Champions Trophy," said the 31-year-old Christchurch-born pacer who has started training with his country's former national boxing coach to improve his fitness.

Bond, who has troubled all the leading batsmen in the world with his searing pace and movement, was here to promote a specially made light-weight cricket shoe by sports apparel major Nike along with young India pacer Shantakumaran Sreesanth.

"We will start a two-week camp for the Champions Trophy around September 25 and will reach India a week ahead of our first match (against South Africa at the Brabourne Stadium here on Oct 16)," said Bond, who was off cricket for nearly two years because of a stress fracture of his back after bowling splendidly in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

"My back has troubled me since my youth. I have undergone a surgery to correct it and am feeling cent per cent fit. It has been no different (frustration of not playing) from other fast bowlers in the world who have been troubled by injuries," said the bowler, who has taken 64 wickets in 14 Tests and has a fine strike rate of plus 18 in One-day Internationals.