
Shane Bond was named on Tuesday in New Zealand's ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka while Daryl Tuffey, another former Indian Cricket League (ICL) recruit, made it to the Test side. Bond was also named in the New Zealand 'A' which will tour India in August. "Shane Bond will also have a good opportunity to get up to speed before returning to the Blackcaps," selection panel chief Glen Turner said.
The 34-year-old Bond, one of the fastest bowlers around, played the last of his 67 ODIs in the semifinal of the 2007 World Cup and his last Test appearance was against South Africa in the same year.
The right-arm pacer then joined the 'rebel' ICL, jeopardising his international career, along with Tuffey and a few other Kiwi cricketers. Tuffey returns to the squad on the strength of a strong domestic season, which saw him take 27 first class wickets at an average of 22, finishing second highest wicket-taker in the State Championship. Turner said the selectors had taken Sri Lankan conditions into account in Tuffey's selection, and in going into the Test series with one fewer front-line seam bowler than is customary in a party of 15.
Turner and his colleagues at the selection panel picked a 15-member squad for the two Test matches in Sri Lanka and the surprise pick is Auckland wicketkeeper Reece Young, who was named as cover for Brendon McCullum even though Gareth Hopkins is the spare stumper in the contract list.
Hopkins, however, maintains his place in the ODI squad, while Peter McGlashan will do the duty in Twenty20. Among the prominent ones, James Franklin and Tim Southee missed the Test bus, while Scott Styris and Iain O'Brien failed to make the ODI cut.
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