Star allrounder Chris Cairns has confirmed he has ruled himself out of the first test against India as he sets his sights on the World Cup in South Africa in February.
Cairns said yesterday that his match fitness was not at the level required for him to play a full part
in the opening test, which starts in Wellington on December 12.
"The batting's fine, but the real pressure comes on with the impact of bowling," he said. "The form's been pretty good with the bat, but it's been below par with the ball.
"If I was going in as a front-line bowler, looking to bowl 30 overs, I probably couldn't achieve that."
Cairns made his return to first-class cricket for Canterbury against Otago at the weekend, his first match since he re-injured a knee in the Christchurch test against England last March.
He made an assured, albeit sedate, unbeaten 76 in 196 minutes off 106 balls at Carisbrook.
He bowled five overs in each innings, claiming two wickets for 10 in Canterbury's innings win yesterday, but he is not satisfied with his bowling fitness for test cricket.
"It [the knee] hasn't come up to scratch and up to test match level," Cairns said.
"I've had a good introduction to the season, but I'm short of match bowling. I was bowling at 60 per cent in the Otago first innings, well below power."
Cairns said he was disappointed not to be playing in the first test, but he had not totally ruled out being available for the second test in Hamilton, which starts on December 19.
"We've just got to take it game by game and I suppose it depends, among other things, on how well our guys come through the first test. "It's frustrating, but the World Cup is definitely the priority for me at present."
Cairns, 32, who has played 55 tests, is on the brink of two personal milestones. He has scored 2853 runs (average 32.79) and taken 197 wickets (average 28.80), putting him on the threshold of joining the elite allrounders group who have scored 3000 runs and captured 200 wickets.
"I would put winning the World Cup ahead of returning too soon to try to get the wickets and runs. That's probably the bigger prize and I can deal with the milestones later on," he said.
If Cairns does not play in the Hamilton test, his next chance to achieve the milestones will be in Sri Lanka in April.
Scott Styris, who made a century on debut against the West Indies in the Caribbean, seems likely to fill the allrounder's spot at the Basin Reserve.
The chairman of selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee, said yesterday that he was "happy to accommodate Chris, bearing in mind how important he is to our World Cup plans".
"He is not available for the first test against India, but he is still an option for the second."
Andre Adams is also unavailable for the first test, while Shayne O'Connor, who made his comeback against Canterbury, is unlikely to be considered due to lack of match play.
- NZPA
Star allrounder Chris Cairns has confirmed he has ruled himself out of the first test against India as he sets his sights on the World Cup in South Africa in February.
Cairns said yesterday that his match fitness was not at the level required for him to play a full part
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