Chennai, Aug. 20: There are fewer sights more captivating in cricket than a speedster running in full tilt and beating batsmen with sheer pace. Shane Bond has provided many such moments in his stint in the international arena.

His career has been hampered by injuries and an untimely shift to the ICL, but the Kiwi is back and is prepared to make up for lost time. One of the most skilful exponents of pace and swing of this era shared his thoughts during an exclusive chat with this newspaper. Excerpts:

Q: Have the last few weeks of preparation gone to plan?

A: Things have gone pretty much the way I wanted, I was sick for a while and couldn’t play the practice games but was always eager to get back to action at the earliest. Though it was extremely hot yesterday, I was still was able to bowl fast (10-3-26-3). One has to operate in short spells here and I enjoyed picking up those wickets. It should stand me well for the tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Q: How hard it is to motivate yourself on slow wickets in a small tournament?

A: I don’t see it that way. I am back after missing a fair bit of cricket so the motivation is not going to be a problem. On the converse, bowling on these tracks requires great discipline as there is no margin for error. One cannot afford to overstep as that will only lead to more work. I think the Buchi Babu tournament was the ideal launch pad for my comeback.

Q: How has experience of bowling with the SG ball been?

A: It is similar to the English Duke where the seam is pronounced. To get it to reverse, one has to really work on the ball and that is never easy in these ground conditions. The ball does lose shape quickly and that is an area to be addressed quickly. A few lost shape after just four deliveries. I would still suggest the BCCI to continue with the SG ball. Therein lies the contest and it is not advisable for one ball manufacturer to monopolise the market.

Q: Have you set any targets? How long can you go, given the heavy schedules?

A: The idea is to play as long as I can remain fit and enjoy the game. If a player continues to contribute to the success of the team, age is only a number. There is no specific target that I have set for myself. I have missed two full seasons of international cricket and I want to make it up by picking wickets. The immediate goal is to do well in the upcoming series in Sri Lanka.

Q: New Zealand cricket has lacked a superstar for some time. Do you think the void can be filled with your return?

A: I have never seen myself as superstar material. I have never believed in the hype built around me. All this should only be based on merit and performance. My primary job is to play a role in making New Zealand the best team in the world. It has never been a one-man team.