Their rehabilitation to international cricket has taken off spinner Grant Bradburn and fast-medium bowler Chris Drum down different roads, but they both feel ready should they be called into the New Zealand playing XI for the second Test against Pakistan at Jade Stadium.

Chances are that both will be included in the side.

Drum boosted his selection with two fine bowling performances for New Zealand A in their pre-Test victory over Pakistan at Lincoln University last week.

"I'm a lot more prepared for it because of the A game," Drum said.

It looked a reasonable chance that he would be included in the team and he is keen to get his first Test underway.

He admitted to being surprised at how quickly the Pakistan batsmen who had looked in so much trouble at Lincoln had been able to turn their game around in Auckland.

But that wasn't going to alter the way he bowled at them.

"I'm not going to go and try and change the way I play the game because of that," he said.

It would definitely be a step up from what was a fine Shell Trophy season for him but he felt he had shown the selectors that he still wanted to play international cricket.

He had five years of first-class cricket behind him and while he thought he knew it all when he started out he has matured and realised that there is still plenty to learn in the game.

Grant Bradburn cut his teeth against Pakistan in 1990 when he toured with Martin Crowe's side which was the first New Zealand combination to deal with reverse swing.

While he has been in the international wilderness since 1992/93 when he was one of the replacements sent to Sri Lanka to relieve the players who came home from the bomb damaged tour, Bradburn said there was no point playing first-class cricket if you didn't entertain ideas of playing international cricket.

It had been nice to be involved in the preparation in Auckland as one of the squad of 13 and it now seemed there was every chance he would resume his career in Christchurch.

Getting back into international play had not been a specific driving force for him as he had married, now had a family and a business so cricket wasn't the only focus in his life.

"I have experience under my belt for Northern districts and have bowled in a whole variety of situations for them in Shell Trophy and Shell Cup games and been through them a number of times. "I am a far better bowler than when I first played and I have more control and I know what works for me," he said.

His selection also lengthens the batting in the side and he feels he has developed equally in that area of his game.

An older head in the New Zealand line-up is welcomed while it should be interesting to see what the injection of some youthful vigour does for the bowling with Drum's inclusion.

© CricInfo