Cricket: Hamstrung Cairns poses selection dilemma

By RICHARD BOOCK

Not for the first time on a tour of India, the New Zealand cricket selectors have found themselves in a dilemma over Chris Cairns.

The man of the match after New Zealand levelled the series 2-2 at Guwahati on Sunday, Cairns is in doubt for tonight's decider at New Delhi after aggravating his hamstring injury at the bowling crease.

Cairns' innings-saving 80 allowed New Zealand to post a competitive total in the fourth ODI, but he was able to bowl just five overs in India's reply before retiring to the physiotherapist's bench.

He remained under wraps yesterday, resting his leg as the New Zealand team practised.

A decision on his availability is not likely until just before play starts this evening, with the tour selectors anxious to balance his value in terms of this one match against his looming workload against the West Indies and Australia.

It was four years ago that Cairns missed out on playing in another decider in India after Glenn Turner's team unexpectedly levelled the one-day series 2-2

However, the 1995 squad's build-up was disrupted after Turner took exception to Cairns' party ethic two nights before the final match and attempted to punish the allrounder with extra training duties the next morning.

Cairns flatly refused, claimed a leg injury, and was not selected for the fifth and deciding match at Mumbai.

New Zealand mustered only 126 batting first and were eventually hammered by six wickets.

Four years on and the 29-year-old Cairns is reportedly anxious to take his place in the playing XI tonight, but coach David Trist is just as anxious about the possible consequences.

"Chris is such an important part of the team, and like a lot of the class of 99 that did so well in England, he wants to be part of making history," Trist said from New Delhi yesterday.

"But we've got to be very careful with him because he's got a long season ahead of him and the hamstring is gradually tightening as the workload increases."

Another of the four survivors from that 1995 series, Roger Twose, believes this year's side has a better chance of winning the deciding match and becoming the first New Zealand team to win a series on Indian soil.

Twose, who four years ago toured alongside Cairns, skipper Stephen Fleming, batsman Nathan Astle and wicketkeeper Adam Parore, said there was a genuine belief in this side that they could beat their hosts.

"I think we've got a 50-50 chance this time," he said. "What happened before the game in Mumbai did have an effect and we got wasted.

"But win or lose in this match, I don't think we're going to get wasted. I think it'll be very close. We know we're capable of beating India."

India also have injury concerns in the countdown to the match - which was sold out immediately after the result at Guwahati - with middle-order batsman Ajay Jadeja in doubt with shoulder and ankle problems.

Jadeja almost pulled out of the fourth ODI but is reportedly keen to play despite his fitness concerns, particularly after the Indian middle order failed so miserably on Sunday.

The Indian vice-captain scored a run-a-ball 95 in India's losing effort at Rajkot, but since then has been somewhat disappointing, with scores of 2 not out, 15 and 27.

New Zealand (from) Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Craig Spearman, Roger Twose, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore, Chris Harris, Scott Styris, Alex Tait, Daniel Vettori, Chris Drum, Matt Horne, Gary Stead, Shayne O'Connor.

India: Sachin Tendulkar (captain), Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Vijay Bharadwaj, Nikhil Chopra, MSK Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Ajit Agarkar, T Kumaran, Devang Ghandi, Debasis Mohanty.