Shane Bond yearns for a NZ return

He has not retired, still yearns to play for the Black Caps, and has had more success against Australia than any other Kiwi pace bowler in the last two decades, but Shane Bond continues to be snubbed by his board for joining the rebel Twenty20 Indian Cricket League.

As the Kiwis prepare for a daunting two-Test series against Australia, fielding an inexperienced team that recently struggled against Bangladesh, Bond said he could see no reason why the New Zealand Cricket Board should not have picked him.

"I am available. I haven't retired. I would love to be playing for New Zealand, especially against Australia — you love to test yourself against the best," Bond said.

He described his disappointment over the treatment he received, which resulted in the premature end to his international career earlier this year after the Board of Control for Cricket in India — which devised the rival Indian Premier League — pressured the International Cricket Council to ban all internationals who joined the ICL, also based in India.

"I was disappointed. I had to get a release from the (NZ) board to join the ICL, then they did an about-face. That is what is most grating — I never even got an apology," Bond said.

"After I had signed I was told I had to tear up the contract. I said 'I've signed so I'm honouring it.' They tried to quote ICC regulations. They told me I would not be getting selected any more. That is not the way I wanted to finish with New Zealand."

In 17 Tests, Bond took 79 wickets at the excellent average of 22.39, while in one-day internationals he was phenomenal, particularly against Australia. In 11 one-day internationals against Australia Bond captured 34 scalps at the stunning average of 13.88, with the best figures of 6-23 in the 2003 World Cup. His overall tally was 125 wickets from 67 ODIs at 19.32.

Bond was still ranked in the top four limited-overs and top 10 Test bowlers in the world until last week — more than one year since he last represented his country — and surely would have been one of the first picked for the tour had the ICC not caved to India's demands.

The New Zealand board realised it would attract India's wrath should it select Bond and has refrained from entering a battle that would damage its relationship.

Nine Kiwi players have joined the ICL, which offers contracts worth far more than they could hope to earn playing for the Black Caps. Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori preferred to distance talk of Bond's availability. "I think most guys went into that situation with eyes wide open. Whilst we would love to have him, the team's probably moved on from that. It's been a long time now," Vettori said.

Few could begrudge Bond, a father-of-three with a long list of injuries, securing himself financially via the ICL contract with the Delhi Giants, although many describe him as a traitor.

Bond said: "That's what is most surprising, some people call it disloyal and say that you're choosing money over your country. I have always seen cricket as a job, and you only have a certain amount of time to earn what you can.

"I don't see what's wrong with securing your future and still being able to play for your country. At the end of the day, cricket has been bloody good to me."