All the signs are looking good for left-arm spin bowler Daniel Vettori to be back in action for New Zealand this year.

Vettori was heading for Auckland today for a training session with the Auckland and Northern Districts national squad members ahead of the selection of the New Zealand one-day team on June 14 to travel to Sri Lanka for a one-day tri-series in July.

Out-going national coach David Trist was casting an eye over the players at the session.

Vettori, 22, who has 106 Test wickets and 59 One-Day International wickets to his name, has been fighting a long battle to regain full fitness after a back injury went undiagnosed as a stress fracture during the 2000 series against Australia.

A winter of recovery fell apart on the tour of Zimbabwe when Vettori came down with back problems again and was invalided home.

A more rigorous study of his back revealed the stress fracture and he was only able to take part in ODIs against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and even by the end of the Pakistan series, won by New Zealand 3-2, Vettori was struggling and unable to be considered for the Test series.

But he believes he has finished growing, stopping the measuring tape at 1.92m (6ft 3in) and that his strength and fitness has returned while he believes his agility is also improving.

"I've started getting into my bowling on a managed work load and there have been no problems at all," he said today.

"It is a progressive thing and I am working towards the tour of Sri Lanka which is ideal preparation for me as it is all ODIs."

By getting through that, and continuing to build up on his return from Sri Lanka, he would expect to be in much better shape for the tours later in the year to Pakistan and Australia, and the home series against Bangladesh and England.

"I'm in my fifth week of bowling and am bowling about 12 overs a day. There've been no problems, and I hope it stays that way," he said.

Compared to the same processs he went through last year before the Zimbabwe tour, Vettori said he likes to think he's done the rehabilitation work required and certainly felt "a lot stronger and a lot fitter."

He's been riding bikes, running a little, doing weights work and has been doing a cardio programme four or five times a week.

"I'm looking forward to getting back on tour again and back with the team. I was reasonably successful against Sri Lanka when they were out here. It is always hard over there but it will be a good challenge," he said.

Vettori did wonder if growing too much at once had helped his back. However, he is looking forward to putting his greater height to good use.

He liked what he felt in the home ODIs over the summer and believes having the extra height had to be an advantage for his bowling.

While today's get together was a first with all the players in the region, he has been working out regularly in Hamilton with local players Grant Bradburn and Scott Styris, who is also working his way back from injury after a knee operation.

© CricInfo