Cricket: Cairns accepts deal to stay in NZ for winter

By RICHARD BOOCK

WELLINGTON - New Zealand Cricket may well be reappraising the virtues of a gap in the international programme after having to pay through the nose to persuade Chris Cairns to take a rest The star allrounder yesterday brokered a new two-year-deal with NZC, which reportedly includes compensation for the sterling 50,000-sterling 60,000 he might have earned had he spent the off-season playing county cricket in England.

NZC had earlier lauded the five-month break for the national team - created when the tour of the West Indies was cancelled - as a valuable opportunity for its contracted players to rest, recuperate and freshen before the tour of Africa, but Cairns was tempted by the lure of the lucrative county trappings.

He said yesterday that his decision to stay in New Zealand over the winter could effectively prolong his international career, and was looking forward to being 100 per cent fit when he walked on to the field in late August.

"This was a long-term decision which should benefit both NZC and myself," he said yesterday.

"The county cricket option offered some temporary gain, but this new contract ensures I'll be able to make the best possible contribution to the team over the next couple of years.

"At the end of the day this is my livelihood and obviously there was a short-term incentive to head over to England.

"But there were also good reasons to stay here if I could, and I'm delighted it's all worked out."

Neither Cairns nor NZC would divulge details of the contract.

NZC chief executive Chris Doig said there was concern over the workload Cairns would have faced had he committed himself to a county season before the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the home series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan.