December 3 is looking the best bet to be the day that Shane Bond makes his long-awaited return to Test cricket.
The 34-year-old speedster has successfully re-entered the international arena, following a nigh-on two-year ICL-enforced absence , via Twenty20 and ODIs in last month's tour to Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy.
It is so far, so good on his notoriously injury-prone body. So good in fact that Bond is prepared to put it through the sternest examination in the longer forms of the game.
After New Zealand and Pakistan clash in three ODIs and a pair of Twenty20s next month on neutral ground in UAE, they return together to face off in a three-Test series which begins in Dunedin on November 24.
However, Bond may be underdone in terms of match practice in white clothing and may have to wait until the second Test in Wellington.
New Zealand's flight home from the UAE will leave little time for him to turn out for Canterbury in its four-day match against Otago on November 17, which would leave the following encounter against Auckland a week later as the best time to prove he is ready for Test selection.
"It's a difficult one," New Zealand captain, and now national selector, Daniel Vettori said of a possible Bond return for the first Test.
"Obviously that's what we want to happen, as soon as possible, but Shane hasn't played four-day cricket for a long, long time."
Bond's last first-class match was as an overseas player for Hampshire in April 2008 and his 17th and most recent Test was five months earlier in South Africa.
Vettori said he will be guided by what Bond and his judgement on whether he is ready to add to his 79 Test wickets at the sublime average of 22.39.
"He understand his body, he understand what he needs to do so one or two games to prove to himself that he's ready to go and available.
"The first Test might be a push but I wouldn't rule him out of it, knowing how belligerent Shane can be. He'll want to play and prove himself as soon as possible.
"If he plays in that first Canterbury game and goes well the selectors will definitely look at him."
Seven ODIs into his international comeback – in which he has taken nine wickets at 35 - Bond is happy where his fitness is at but knows the rigours of first-class and Test cricket will be when the heat is on.
The speed gun no longer hits the high 150km/ph mark, as is understandable after a long list of serious back injuries, but that doesn't phase him a bit.
"Everyone goes on about the speed - I'm happy with the pace I'm bowling," he said.
"The more I bowl the more consistent I'll get. I haven't put in a consistent
performance yet. I'm been good in the odd spell then I've come back and haven't been as sharp as I'm supposed to be."
Bond will continue the search for that consistency in the UAE, although the pitches – prepared by a visiting Pakistani groundsman – are expected of the low and slow variety usually associated with sub-continental tours.
New Zealand will be out to build on the promising form from its runner-up place at the Champions Trophy while Pakistan seeks its revenge after being knocked out by the underdog Kiwis in the semi-finals.
"We'll redraw the stuff we had last time on them," Bond said. "It worked pretty well in terms of the bowlers, we knew what we had to do. Obviously we'll have to adapt to the surface which will be flat and slow like Pakistan conditions.
"We know what to expect, they can run hot and cold a little bit like us. They'll be tough, it's a nice build-up for the Test series -- we get a chance to have a good look at their players."