Bond confident and relaxed by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	SE Bond, TM Dilshan
Event:	New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 5th September 2009

 

New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond said he is feeling relaxed and confident two games into his international comeback.

 

The tearway pacer starred with the ball, taking three for 18 off his four overs, in New Zealand's series-clinching 22-run Twenty20 win against Sri Lanka on Friday.

 

"I'm really pleased. I'm pleased the way I'm bowling at the end of an innings," Bond said.

 

"I haven't really done a lot of work on it, just these games here and one game in India, and it seems to be going pretty well so far.

 

"I suppose I'm no spring chicken any more but I've got a lot of experience to call on. I feel really relaxed and I feel really confident the way things are going for me and I've just got to keep working hard and doing the things I've been doing. It's good."

 

Bond signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League in 2007 and since then he was off from international cricket. But he has been welcomed back with open arms by New Zealand since cutting ties with the unsanctioned Twenty20 league.

 

His return though did not start off on a great note as Tillakaratne Dilshan hit him for four consecutive boundaries in his opening over of the first T20.

 

Bond got his revenge on Friday though, dismissing the opener for a single when he holed out for a single off the New Zealander's fifth ball of the run chase - effectively ending any realistic hopes Sri Lanka had of victory.

 

"It was great (to get him early). He gave me some stick in the last game but I had a real clear game-plan of how I wanted to attack him this time and it worked perfectly," Bond told Radio Sport.

 

"It's just one of those things. It was a good feeling to put a plan in place and get his wicket. I'll obviously need to do some similar things in the one-day series because he is still in great form."