Cricket: Cairns to quit test cricket

By RICHARD BOOCK

The New Zealand cricket team's crucial test against South Africa in Wellington is expected to be the last for record-breaking all-rounder Chris Cairns.

The man who put South Africa to the sword last week in Auckland and then confirmed his place as one of the best all-rounders in the game is poised to announce his retirement from test cricket after the end of the series.

The Herald understand that Cairns, 33, will drop out of the five-day game, but will remain available for one-day internationals, meaning he could still be involved in this winter's tri-series in England and the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy in September, also in England.

One of the key ingredients in New Zealand's push to win a historic first test series against South Africa, Cairns scored a brilliant 158 at Eden Park and is expected to again figure prominently when the final test begins this morning.

He did not want to comment yesterday on the retirement, but sources confirmed that he was planning to retire his test shirt after the Wellington match and that speculation over his future was not misplaced.

Cairns' manager, Lianne McGoldrick, said last night that he was anxious to leave any announcement until after the series against South Africa.

"Chris won't be making a decision until the season is finished," McGoldrick said.

"He doesn't want anything to detract from the team's focus."

The son of popular all-rounder Lance, Cairns made his international debut in 1989 against the Australians at Perth and proved an immediate influence, playing a role in one of New Zealand's most famous salvage operations.

His barn-storming 158 at Eden Park last weekend was his fifth century, and his three second-innings wickets carried him into the company of the world's greatest all-rounders, those players who have managed to score 3000 runs and take 200 wickets.

Only Sir Garfield Sobers, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and former New Zealand team-mate Sir Richard Hadlee have previously completed the double, and Cairns' effort was particularly notable in that he managed it faster than everyone but Botham.

The good news for New Zealand cricket fans is that Cairns is expected to remain available for the one-day side, apparently because he believes he can manage his fitness and increase his longevity if he concentrates on the shorter game.

The revelation means that South Africa and New Zealand will farewell popular and established team members at the end of the test.

Veteran left-hander Gary Kirsten, who last week in Auckland became the first South African to play 100 tests, has already announced that he will retire from international cricket at the end of the series.