Cricket: Chris Cairns towers as world's 'best' allrounder

No player is challenging Chris Cairns as the world's No 1 cricket allrounder, according to Wisden Almanack editor Graeme Wright.

Cairns scored 124, his fourth test century, against Zimbabwe at Harare yesterday, helping the tourists to reach 465 in their first innings. At stumps, Zimbabwe were 31 for one.

Wright compared Cairns to England legend Ian Botham.

"No one is within reach of Cairns as an allrounder today," he said.

"He turns matches with his batting and bowling like Botham used to.

"He had a great series against England last year and has not looked back. He was the leading run scorer on both sides in the test series against Australia earlier this year with 341 runs at 56.83.

"Justin Langer was the leading Australian batsman at a time that Steve Waugh said Langer was the best test batsman in the world - and he was outscored by Cairns."

Cairns' last century was 109 against Australia at Wellington when he hit Shane Warne for 4-6-6 and smashed Brett Lee for six over long leg down Kent Terrace.

"The Australians in the slips cordon almost clapped - but they couldn't quite bring themselves to do it," Wright said.

"Cairns has the ability to significantly influence a game. In the first test against the West Indies at Hamilton he took seven for 27 to set up their demise and turn the game. He took 10 wickets in that match and seven in the second test.

"I can't think of another allrounder in test cricket at the moment doing the same. Cairns is like Botham or Imran Khan in their pomp."

Wright said every time Cairns gets involved he influences the outcome of a match - the mark of a great allrounder.

Cairns' talent would be measured more closely in the series next month against South Africans Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis.

Wright felt Pollock was not a true test allrounder just yet because he had not done enough with the bat.

"Richard Hadlee scored 3000 test runs but he did not have the same influence with the bat as Cairns.

"Hadlee was a phenomenal bowler but Cairns is a better batter and he's doing well in a New Zealand batting lineup that can be hot and cold."

If New Zealand beat Zimbabwe in the test series, they are likely to jump over England and take sixth place in the controversial Wisden test rankings, which take into account the latest home and away results.

New Zealand only drew with Zimbabwe the last time the two teams met in Zimbabwe.

The New Zealanders' hopes of success in South Africa will rise if spinner Daniel Vettori returns to full fitness, Wright said.

Cairns last week became New Zealand's second-most successful test bowler behind Hadlee when he passed Danny Morrison's wicket haul of 160 in his 48th test.

Cairns and Dion Nash, so often partners at the bowling crease, spurred each other to new heights with the bat yesterday, bringing up an eighth-wicket record partnership against Zimbabwe of 144.

Cairns' 124 was two short of his highest test score, while Nash's 62 was a polished effort in his first test in nine months.

The pair departed in consecutive balls after 158 minutes at the crease together.

Cairns said that while it may have appeared he was striking the ball well, he never felt comfortable.

The slow, tennis-ball bounce from the spongy surface meant the batsmen had to force things if they wanted to score at a quick rate.

"I prefer the ball coming on and Mpumelelo Mbangwa was the hardest to play because there was no pace on it," Cairns said. "I had to work very hard. If you want to take the chance to try to hit the ball you risk playing a false shot."

Cairns batted for 251 minutes, faced 172 balls and hit 12 fours and three sixes.

After an hour of play on the third day, Zimbabwe were 55 for one.

fxvartable 1 NEW ZEALAND

First innings

dipM. Richardson lbw Nkala 99dip

C. Spearman c A Flower b Olongalu2M. Sinclair c Carlisle b Olongalu44S. Fleming c Campbell b Mbangwalu9N. Astle run outlu86C. McMillan lbw Mbangwalu15C. Cairns st A Flower b Stranglu124A. Parore c A Flower b Olongalu4D. Nash c G Flower b Stranglu62P. Wiseman not outlu1S. O'Connor c Whittall b G Flowerlu2Extras (3lb, 12nb, 2w)lu17 - - eipTotal (160.3 overs)lu465Fall: 1/5 (Spearman), 2/69 (Sinclair), 3/91 (Fleming), 4/226 (Richardson), 5/256 (Astle), 6/302 (McMillan), 7/318 (Parore), 8/462 (Nash), 9/462 (Cairns), 10/465 (O'Connor).

Bowling: H. Olonga 27-5-115-3s (12nb, 1w), H. Streak 29-6-74-0, M. Nkala 15-0-60-1, M. Mbangwa 28-10-58-2 (1w), P. Strang 38-11-80-2, G. Flower 20.3-6-59-1, G. Rennie 3-0-16-0.

ZIMBABWE

First innings

dipG. Flower not outlu11G. Rennie c Spearman b Cairnslu4S. Carlisle not outlu15Extras (1b)lu1 - - eipTotal (for 1 wkt, 17 overs)lu31Fall: 1/5 (Rennie).

Bowling: C. Cairns 5-3-4-1, S. O'Connor 6-2-9-0, D. Nash 4-1-14-0, C. McMillan 2-0-3-0.

- NZPA