Cricket: Cairns likely to come home

NAIROBI - Chris Cairns' immediate future with the New Zealand cricket team looked in serious doubt yesterday as he joined the endless stream of bowling casualties.

A management meeting today will decide Cairns' future, but it is likely the star allrounder will return home.

The patella tendon in his right knee twisted while batting during the 64-run win over Zimbabwe in the ICC Knockout Trophy one-day tournament in Nairobi yesterday, and he bowled only one over before leaving the field.

New Zealand's four best bowlers - Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori and Geoff Allott - have been struck down by injuries on this tour, with Nash and Vettori returning home with back stress fractures.

Coach David Trist said it was possible Cairns could stay with the tour party and try to recover. The big target is the three-test series against South Africa next month.

"But there are no guarantees he'll even be ready for that," Trist said.

Cairns has carried the injury for two years. He missed the one-day series against Zimbabwe after having a cortisone injection designed to have him ready for South Africa.

The injury will open up an opportunity for promising paceman Daryl Tuffey, but Trist said that beyond him there was not a lot of bowling options back in New Zealand.

"The back-up doesn't just appear in three months. It's a cycle that takes up to two or three years."

Having safely negotiated their way past friendly quarter-final opponents, the New Zealanders now find themselves up against the form horse of the tournament.

Tonight they play their recent nemesis, Pakistan, who have not raised a sweat against New Zealand in recent games, and nor did they on Monday against Sri Lanka.

Captain Stephen Fleming pronounced himself relieved to put away Zimbabwe, but he was already wary of what awaited them against Pakistan.

Fresh in his mind is the recent loss to the abrasive Pakistanis in Singapore, and more importantly, the World Cup semifinal hiding last year.

"They've had the wood on us for the last three or four occasions," Fleming said.

"We have to somehow assert some pressure on them early, maybe bowling first, taking wickets, or being aggressive at the top.

"We'll have to do something to break them up because they're a very polished side."

New Zealand were far from convincing against Zimbabwe, but managed to defend their score of 265 for seven with an improved bowling and fielding performance.

Roger Twose claimed man-of-the-match honours for his fourth consecutive one-day 50, and his 18th in all, scoring 85 before being caught on the boundary.

He and Craig McMillan were the backbone of the New Zealand innings, adding 95 off 101 balls together, with McMillan scoring a classy 52 from 51 balls.

Then offspinner Paul Wiseman returned to one-day mode impressively, taking career-best limited-overs figures of four for 45 from 9.2 overs.

Chris Harris was close to his best with a solid 10-over spell and two trademark run outs.

But there were noticeable areas of improvement needed for tonight's match, against the likes of Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar and a host of useful allrounders.

The first 15 overs and last 10 of the New Zealand innings were both just above pedestrian, while the new-ball bowlers were not able to break through.

New Zealand's batting top order, rejigged to fit Craig Spearman into the opening role and Fleming to No 3, again did not fire.

Nathan Astle continued a bad trot of form in one-dayers with a duck, Spearman produced a cameo 20 and Fleming looked set before being run out for 34 when sent back by Twose.

Fleming said the top order would remain unchanged and that he had faith in his good friend Astle.

"He's a world-class player, he's working very hard on his game. You don't keep a class player like that down for too long."

- NZPA