Cricket: Bond ruled out of first test

CENTURION - New Zealand will yet again have to take on an international cricket rival without bowling spearhead Shane Bond after the paceman was ruled out of the opening test against South Africa tonight with a knee injury.

Bond was withdrawn from the 12-man squad before practice at SuperSport Park yesterday in a continuation of his wretched luck since debuting against Australia in Hobart five years ago.

In the intervening period one of the world's most lethal quicks -- when fit -- has tallied just 14 tests as a catalogue of knee and back complaints and illness saw him detained behind the boundary rope.

An inflamed tendon in his right knee is the latest ailment to nobble the Cantabrian who will not be risked despite bowling at pace in two net sessions.

He has been replaced by Auckland swing bowler Kyle Mills -- his promotion causing no concern after he filled in admirably for Bond when he withdrew from the second West Indies test last month with a stomach virus.

"We've lost a bit of pace but Kyle played well in Wellington (taking 6-82 in two innings). He brings a swinging element to the game which could possibly add to the balance of the attack," captain Stephen Fleming said.

"We've got a guy with the ability to take it away from the righthanders."

Still, Fleming obviously rued Bond's absence and shared his frustration.

"Shane drives himself very hard and he's worked hard to get back to this level. He's just not consistently being able to get across the line and be a regular starter.

"He was pretty close to playing but our attention now turns to the second test (in Cape Town from April 27) to see if we can get any improvement. It's obviously not healing as quickly as we would have liked."

Bond had a cortisone jab after pulling up lame against the Rest of South Africa last week and will have an MRI scan this weekend to re-assess the damage.

Fleming's counterpart Graeme Smith was in a far more jovial mood today proclaiming himself fit to play despite still suffering pain from a damaged and disfigured ring finger.

The Proteas side will be finalised shortly before play starts with Andre Nel in doubt after injurying a shoulder at training yesterday. He did not bowl yesterday and could be replaced by Dale Steyn.

Fast bowler Garnett Kruger dropped out due to a shoulder injury.

South Africa (squad):
Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Nicky Boje, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn.

New Zealand:
Hamish Marshall, Peter Fulton, Stephen Fleming (capt), Scott Styris, Nathan Astle, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Chris Martin. (12th man to be named).

- NZPA