Daryl Tuffey insists he has unfinished work in international cricket as he prepares for his first Test match in over five years.

Tuffey last donned the whites against England in Leeds in June 2004 and played his last game for New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean before signing for the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.

Now, having cut all ties with the rebel Twenty20 league, he has been named in the 15-man Test squad for New Zealand's tour of Sri Lanka in August and September and is determined to make the opportunity count.

"I didn't want my career to end prematurely which I thought was going to be the way there for a while," he told the Press Association. "But this is a new lease of life coming up over the next, hopefully, three or four years now."

Tuffey, who has played 22 Tests and 80 one-day internationals for the Black Caps, missed out on a New Zealand Cricket central contract last month but his form in the four-day State Championship for Auckland, where he was the competition's second-highest wicket-taker with 27 first-class wickets at an average of 22, has seen him brought in from the cold.

Opportunity

"He had a really good season domestically here for Auckland," said head selector Glenn Turner. "He was the second-highest wicket taker and that was bowling on one of the flattest pitches in the country, Eden Park No 2.

"He's proven in more recent times that his fitness is fine, because he did have issues with that a few years ago, and so he's proved himself in more recent times in the longer form of the game and we're giving him an opportunity there."

The 31-year-old fast bowler has had a career plagued by shoulder injuries but he is confident those days are behind him now with his stint at the Chandigarh Lions in the ICL possibly helping to prolong his career.

"Obviously I haven't had the rigours of back-to-back four-day games for a couple of years which was good and just having that rest probably was good for me," Tuffey said.

"Now I've played five or six four-day games towards the back end of the (southern hemisphere) summer (with Auckland) and my body held up really well.

"I seem to be over all those kind of injury concerns which is great and I can concentrate now on playing the longer version of the game.

"Hopefully I can carry on the form I showed for Auckland into the New Zealand frame."

Cautious approach

Tuffey has only been named in the squad for the two Tests but could yet find himself staying on to play in the one-day internationals and Twenty20s with a spot left open in that squad.

"He did moderately well in limited overs (for Auckland)," said Turner. "But having said that, we've left one player to be added for the limited overs and we're just waiting to see.

"There are two or three on our minds as to how they are going on the 'A' tour or in his case during the Tests."

Another fast bowling rebel back in the fold is Shane Bond, who will play in the 'A' series against India before heading to Sri Lanka for the limited overs matches.

Given Bond's history of injuries Turner said they were taking a cautious approach with the 34-year-old when it came to the longer form of the game.

"He's indicated that he's still got some unfinished business in Tests. But because he hasn't played in the longer form of the game for some time it means that we want to tiptoe into that a bit," Turner added.

"Until the season gets fully under way and he can build up his bowling workloads, we feel it's wiser that he just play limited overs in the interim."