Bond and Tuffey return

Shane Bond on his most recent Test appearance for New Zealand, against South Africa more than two years ago

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Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey are in line for their New Zealand Test comebacks after being named in a 13-man squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan.

Pace bowler Bond returns to the Test arena after a two-year absence, having been banned from playing due to his links with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

He played in the recent limited-overs series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates and returned match figures of 4-148 off 40 overs for Canterbury against Otago this week in the domestic Plunket Shield.

“Shane has shown a lot of energy in the UAE and in domestic cricket and has bowled a good number of overs,” said New Zealand selector Mark Greatbatch. “It will be exciting to have him back.”

Fellow seamer Tuffey last featured for the Test side against England in June 2004, although he was an unused member of the squad in the Test series loss in Sri Lanka in August.

Significantly, of the 66 Test wickets he’s taken, 24 have been against Pakistan,” Greatbatch continued. “It’s a team he’s done very well against.”

All-rounder Grant Elliott and batsman Peter Fulton also feature, having been overlooked since playing against Australia a year ago.

Elliott, who captained the New Zealand Invitational XI against Pakistan in the warm-up match in Queenstown, replaces Jacob Oram, who has retired from Test cricket, while Fulton takes the place of Jesse Ryder, who is out with an abdominal tear and adductor strain.

“Grant Elliott’s inclusion is based on his excellent form in the short version of the game. We’re keen to give him an opportunity to perform in Tests,” added Greatbatch.

“Peter Fulton makes his comeback based on excellent performances on winter tours with the Emerging Players and New Zealand A teams, as well as an outstanding start to the domestic Plunket Shield competition.”

Seamers Iain O’Brien and Chris Martin slot back into the side after sitting out the one-day and Twenty20 internationals.

The first Test begins on Tuesday at Dunedin’s University Oval and is followed by matches in Wellington and Napier.

New Zealand squad: Daniel Vettori (Captain), Shane Bond, Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Peter Fulton, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey.