Cricket: Belligerent Cairns picks up from where he left off

By RICHARD BOOCK in Wellington

South Africa were frantically searching for a loose lump of kryptonite last night as Chris Cairns' super-hero impersonations showed no sign of abating.

Understood to be on the verge of retirement from test cricket, Cairns made an immediate impact on the first day of the final test, smashing an unbeaten half-century to leave a sobering question mark over South Africa's slight advantage at stumps.

Sent in to bat on a comfortably paced Basin Reserve pitch, New Zealand had battled through to 248 for six at the close, having lost Craig McMillan to a flu-like bug before play started, and the well-performed Brendon McCullum to the second-last ball of the day.

Cairns, who smote 158 in the second test at Auckland, arrived at the crease in a belligerent frame of mind and immediately began to wrestle the initiative from the South Africans, searching out the boundary at every opportunity, and striking his 80th test six.

At stumps he was unbeaten on 60 off 72 balls, after posting his 21st test half-century from 60 balls, including nine fours and a huge straight hit that cleared the sightscreen at the southern end.

The champion New Zealand right-hander is expected to announce his retirement from test cricket at some stage after the Wellington showdown, having already secured his place in history as one of the game's greatest all-rounders.

Adopting his preferred stand-and-deliver approach, the 33-year-old lashed anything full down the ground, was lethal square of the wicket and was even prepared to unfurl a couple of straightish pull shots - to Makhaya Ntini's dismay.

His contribution, and the 85-run sixth-wicket partnership that he shared with McCullum, was the most entertaining cricket of the day, ushering in 107 runs for the final session and ensuring New Zealand would have something up their sleeve this morning.

McCullum's dismissal would have disappointed the home team, as the 24-year-old wicketkeeper had again responded strongly to his promotion up the order, posting his second half-century in his third test.

Now ensconced at No 6, and batting ahead of Cairns and Jacob Oram, McCullum defused the threat of Nicky Boje and had few problems with the pace attack, playing some delightful shots.

He had brought up his second test half-century off 105 balls, including six fours, when he fell across his front leg and was trapped in front by Shaun Pollock.

New Zealand might not be overly worried about their position at stumps, but they made tough work of their assignment and the top-order batting - Mathew Sinclair apart - were unable to perpetuate their prolific form from the earlier two tests.

Sinclair, brought in to replace the ailing McMillan, gave New Zealand's top order some much-needed steel, as well as giving his chances of touring England next month a giant boost.

Required in the middle after New Zealand had slumped to 23 for two, the Central Districts' right-hander turned on his usual mix of cracking stroke-play and hair-raising near-misses, but gradually became more secure as his innings progressed.

His half-century arrived off 113 balls and included seven fours and a lofted drive for six off Boje.

In the stiff Wellington northerly, South Africa's pacemen found little joy in the pitch, and it was left to Boje to make the inroads with his orthodox left-arm spin.

The surprise package for the tourists, Boje had skipper Stephen Fleming caught at slip, a charging Scott Styris bowled through the gate, and Sinclair trapped in front while attempting to sweep.

Fleming was happy enough after a poor start to the innings. "If you get sent in, 300 to 350 is a score which gets you in the game. Tomorrow the aim is to get another 100. We've got guys in form who can score quickly."

His opposite number, Graeme Smith, was even happier.

"The boys bowled superbly and stuck to their task the whole day. Bar 20-30 runs with the second new ball, it was a great day," Smith said.

That was despite losing allrounder Jacques Kallis after just seven overs to a serious side strain which could sideline him from bowling for the rest of the match.

"That's the way the tour's gone, we start well and something like that happens," Smith said."