'My goal is to try and get back into the Test team'

Dubai: New Zealand pacer Shane Bond is among the most fearsome pacers in the world today. Though injuries interrupted his career progress, Bond has regained his fitness and form. In an interview with Gulf News he spoke about his career, aims and ambitions.

How is it to return to form and how does it feel now?

I have still a long way to go to top form. I am pleased to be bowling right and getting better with every game and being part of the national team. We have a great bunch of guys and I enjoy the challenge of playing with them.

How did you work on your fitness?

I did my usual workout and a bit of boxing training and running mainly to gain speed and strength. I am happy that I am in good shape now with the Test matches around the corner and first-class events set to begin. It is going to be a great challenge.

You bowled exceptionally well during the recent Champions Trophy on South African wickets. What did you do to create that impact?

The wickets were different in Centurion and Johannesburg and all that I tried to do was to bowl to my strengths. I always believe that if I can bowl to my strengths and bowl as well as I can, I am sure I can be successful on any type of wicket.

Do you cherish any particular aim or ambition?

I am close to taking 150 one-day wickets and I am around the corner to take 100 Test wickets. My goal is to try and get back into the Test team and then get to 100 Test wicket mark and also get 150 one-day wickets and then aim for 200 wickets.

Do you aim for pace or are you focusing on line and length?

I still try and bowl fast. I am not as quick as I used to be as I am getting older. Though you would love to bowl fast but you need to maintain a good line and length especially in one-day cricket. So I do compensate a little bit of speed for length and line because I still feel that 130km/h is fast enough.