Shane Bond

By Chris Barclay of NZPA

Wellington, Nov 29 NZPA - Shane Bond's big toe was bathed in antiseptic and Iain O'Brien grimaced when a dislocating a finger. But nothing dulls the pain like savouring a long overdue test cricket victory.

New Zealand's pace bowling heroes were in recovery mode today, in the aftermath of a pulsating 32-run victory over Pakistan at Dunedin's University Oval, the side's first meaningful test win since England were beaten in Hamilton in March, 2008.

Since then New Zealand lost nine tests against major test playing nations -- four to the English, two in Australia, one at home to India and two abroad in Sri Lanka.

Neither O'Brien nor Bond, whose 48.5 overs of toil in his comeback test saw him hack a nail off his left foot, was involved in the Hamilton triumph.

But both shared centre stage yesterday as Pakistan botched an achievable runchase in the final session of the first test, their quest for 251 fizzling out on 218 to give New Zealand the initiative in the three-match series.

Bond's removal of teenager Umar Akmal for 75 as he bid to become just the third player to score centuries in both innings on debut, and O'Brien's dismissal of older brother Kamran Akmal five balls later was the last twist of an absorbing contest.

While Bond's resurrection as a test cricketer after a two-year absence was perfectly scripted -- eight wickets and the man-of-the-match award -- the unfashionable O'Brien was a revelation, especially after the ring finger of his right hand was bent out of shape by a Kamran Akmal drive.

Once the digit was coaxed back into place, O'Brien continued on to record the most satisfying figures of his 20-test career.

The 33-year-old bowled 13 overs either side of the tea interval, taking two for 30 in the spell, and three for 63 overall, a dramatic improvement on his none for 98 in Pakistan's first innings.

Aware Daryl Tuffey and Tim Southee eye his third seamer's role, O'Brien feared another wicketless innings could be costly.

"If I didn't bowl well yesterday that could have been me done for a while, if not a long time," he said.

O'Brien never considered crying off when he dropped Akmal's scorching drive.

"My finger went a little bit numb. It's a bowling finger so I was a little bit concerned but the adrenaline or whatever it was got me through.

"I wanted to do something to change the game. There was no way Dan (Vettori) was getting the ball out of my hand."

O'Brien's swollen finger was in a splint today. He is to have it assessed tomorrow and providing it passes a medical he is assured of running into the breeze when the second test starts at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Thursday.

Captain Vettori maintained O'Brien's place was never under serious threat despite some pundits expecting Tuffey to play in Dunedin.

"It was not as tight a call as people might think," Vettori said.

"I've always backed "Obber". I like the effort and the way he bowls in a game. He wants the ball and I think you saw the turnaround from the first innings where he struggled."

Bond, meanwhile, performed with a distinction that emphasised what New Zealand's attack had been lacking in the 20 tests he missed due to retirement and then exile to the Indian Cricket League.

His match analysis of eight for 153 maintained his world-class strike rate fashioned in 17 previous tests, and the 34-year-old now owns 87 wickets at an average of 22.09.

He remains injury free despite the throbbing big toe and precious little down time in Dunedin.

"You bowled a spell then someone else was on and then it's like `christ, they're going to give me the ball again'. I'm pleased I've got through it as well as I have."

Bond could at least reflect on a successful outcome. Pakistans rival Mohammad Asif marked his own return from a two-year hiatus from the test line-up with a match analysis of eight for 151 from 44 overs.

Both teams opted for only four specialist bowlers -- three quicks and a spinner in Dunedin -- and the pace bowlers can expect another heavy workload this week.

"It's tough on Dan, Shane, Chris (Martin) and myself but we got the job done," O'Brien said.

"We're pretty sore, but pretty happy."