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New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott has expressed his keenness to make a bigger contribution with the ball in the second Test against Pakistan in Wellington. Elliott bowled just two overs in New Zealand’s 32-run win in Dunedin due to his knee injury, leaving Shane Bond, Daniel Vettori, Iain O’Brien and Chris Martin with an additional responsibility to fill in for the fifth bowler.

Vettori had admitted the extent of the workload the four bowlers had to bear, in having to bowl out Pakistan twice, was huge. New Zealand can expect the physical demands of winning the next Test to be greater, especially as their bowlers are recovering from injuries. Bond is missing the big toe-nail on his left foot, Vettori is nursing an injured shoulder and O’Brien is awaiting scans on his dislocated finger.

“It definitely hurts me not being able to do that (bowl) because you saw how hard the bowlers toiled,” Elliot told New Zealand Press Association. “It’s tendonitis. I’ve just been battling with that a bit. I had it in Wellington but hopefully I can take a load off the bowlers. It’s about (bowling) loads and how the inflammation is at the time. It has good days and bad days.”

Eliott has managed just two wickets at an average of 66 in Tests but has bowled more often, and has had more success, in the ODI format, taking 17 wickets at 22.11. While establishing himself as a solid middle-order batsman in limited-overs cricket, Elliott is still fighting for a long-term slot in Tests. “It’s runs and wickets at the end of the day,” he said. “For me, every Test innings I play I’m looking to establish my position and stamp my authority on the game. Hopefully it will be in this Test.”

The second Test begins on December 3.
Source:Cricket News

Image Source:Cricinfo

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