Cricket: Cairns hero of 'greatest' day

By RICHARD BOOCK

Twenty-nine years is a long time to wait to win a one-day cricket tournament, and if there was one singular reaction around the country yesterday, it might have been, "thank God for Chris Cairns."

New Zealand's irrepressible allrounder was not even supposed to feature in the mini-World Cup final against India, but ended up saving the match with the ball and winning it with the bat - collecting the man-of-the-match trophy for his deeds.

The 30-year-old battled pain from a dodgy knee after pronouncing himself fit just an hour before the final started at Nairobi, and lived up to his reputation as the greatest allrounder in the game - stifling India's batting at the bowling crease, and later scoring an unbeaten 102 from 113 balls.

It was his third and slowest international one-day century - all scored against India - but it was by far the most important innings of his 130-match career, carrying the New Zealanders from the edge of defeat to their first tournament win since the shorter game started in 1971.

"This is the greatest ever," Cairns said afterwards.

"I've been playing for a few years now - getting pretty old - and this is far and away the greatest moment of my New Zealand career.

"New Zealand have never won a final before so this is just the best."

His knee was to be scanned after New Zealand arrived in Johannesburg late last night, after which a decision will be made on his immediate future.

But for now the memory of his huge contribution at the Gymkhana Ground in Naairobi may help to dull some of the pain.

Put in to bat after New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming won the toss, India raced to 37 without loss after just four overs, as Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar let loose in an opening stand which ultimately realised 141.

It was not until Cairns, operating off a reduced run-up, stepped in that the run-rate was partially arrested.

The Cantabrian gave up only 40 runs off 10 overs in India's eventual total of 264 for six.

In a match holding many parallels to New Zealand's semifinal against Pakistan, Ganguly - like the left-handed Saeed Anwar last week - lashed his second consecutive century to leave India handily placed to pass 300.

But was poorly supported by his partners, and was clearly upset with the final total.

Then in another mirror image of the Pakistan clash, New Zealand's reply was undermined by the early loss of Craig Spearman and Fleming, leaving the middle-order battling to keep the side in the match.

Cairns arrived at the end of the 14th over with New Zealand teetering at 82 for three, and seemed to sum up the situation perfectly, protecting his wicket as a first priority, collecting low-risk runs, and keeping his powder dry for what he reckoned would still be a close finish.

"I felt pretty comfortable after we had bowled," he said.

"Two-sixty on a small ground, that's 220 on a normal ground."

But it was not until he was joined by Chris Harris that the New Zealand innings began to gain genuine momentum.

The pair put on 122 for the sixth wicket (a record against India) as the required run-rate rose above a run-a-ball.

Harris was out of form and struggling, but kept to his brief of supporting his partner.

When he was finally prised out with nine balls remaining and 11 runs required, Cairns was able to bring up his century and finish off the Indians with two balls up his sleeve.

Coach David Trist said afterwards that his team had proved they could beat the odds through sticking to a game-plan, and had discovered the rewards of "digging deeper than ever before."

"In the end, we kept to our disciplines," he said.

"We didn't waver from the strategy we had talked about, and it was the opposition who started showing the pressure and beginning to crack.

"It's a significant step for these guys, because they now know that what happened in Nairobi comes from within. It's a huge boost and a clear message for everyone before the start of the South African series."

Fleming was delighted with the victory.

"We are now in a position to win more tournaments," he said. "The country was looking for success and we have given them a taste of it. The greatest memory for me will be holding the trophy up."