Chris Cairns Retires

[Iafeta]

A fine career, over a fair period of time. New Zealand Cricket was lucky to have such a talented player come through the ranks, pity he wasn't always on the game emotionally and a pity for the spats he had with Maitland and co, but he was still a fantastic player, particularly in the late 90's where arguably he was the best all-rounder in the world.

Some of his innings were straight out savage, I'll remember his leading a rearguard action against South Africa in I believe 97/98 along with Parore and Nash nearly chasing down 300 from being 110/5 after 30 odd overs, and his innings against Australia in Wales at the '99/00 World Cup where he and Roger Twose led New Zealand to a terrific win. As far as his bowling goes, the day he ripped through the Windies with 7/27 was pretty special, but one moment was quite incredible, Chris Read ducking into a slower ball and being hit leg before with his eyes off the ball. I also remember him running out Dean Jones at Auckland in the 1992 World Cup, and I believe it was the 1992 tour from England where he caught Chris Lewis in the gully off Willie Watson which was an absolutely unbelievable catch.

Great memories, Chris Cairns at his peak was absolute world class.

 

[Red Bear]

Greatplayer, one of my fave non-oz players. Pity Injuries blunted him(particularlyin test cricket) but still has a fairly awesome record

 

[Lego_Man]

Don't forget his century against Aus in the 2001 VB series Iafeta

 

[Southern Warrio]

turner was a good coach, just cant stand him as a person.

I think Turner was and still is a very good selector. I just don't know about him as a coach. He had the Otago team for four years and not once did he manages to get them into the top three in either form of the game. But with a rookie coach we have climbed to second in the one day comp with three games to go, in saying that we have added a couple of players that have got us just that level higher in Jonathon trott our overseas pro and Neil Broom.

Turner IMO is a great analyst of Cricket but a very poor man manager, very similar to Laurie Mains in rugby.

 

[El Diablo]

Chris who?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Pretty near the top echelon of all-rounders- although when you think about it, genuine all-rounders who perform at a decent level are so rare that anyone who does the job for a while is near the top few.

Probably in theory Cairns seemed like an ideal ODI cricketer, but due to his injuries was a much more consistent player in tests. He played so many half-arsed ODIs for NZ where he was bowling crap off 6 paces, or not bowling at all, or whatever, that they come to mind as readily for me as his handful of great performances. Overall I think he didn't quite do himself justice in ODIs, especially not with the ball, but he played some spectacular innings with the bat.

Tests were a different story, as he tended to skip tests when carrying injuries as opposed to playing half-arsed. Also from about 1999-2004 he generally performed at a very high level during his sporadic appearances (only managed 62 in 15 years or something like that.) His test record stacks up very well indeed and will see him go down as a very good, almost great cricketer.

 

[waltzing Meninga]

Pretty near the top echelon of all-rounders- although when you think about it, genuine all-rounders who perform at a decent level are so rare that anyone who does the job for a while is near the top few.

Probably in theory Cairns seemed like an ideal ODI cricketer, but due to his injuries was a much more consistent player in tests. He played so many half-arsed ODIs for NZ where he was bowling crap off 6 paces, or not bowling at all, or whatever, that they come to mind as readily for me as his handful of great performances. Overall I think he didn't quite do himself justice in ODIs, especially not with the ball, but he played some spectacular innings with the bat.

Tests were a different story, as he tended to skip tests when carrying injuries as opposed to playing half-arsed. Also from about 1999-2004 he generally performed at a very high level during his sporadic appearances (only managed 62 in 15 years or something like that.) His test record stacks up very well indeed and will see him go down as a very good, almost great cricketer.

In tests he averaged 33 with the bat and 29 with the ball. I know stats don't tell the full story but I don't think he can be classed as a great cricketer. Certainly a cricketer that did his job for his country and had a great deal of talent

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Ian Botham averaged 34 with the bat and 28 with the ball. 33 and 29 are excellent stats for any all-rounder over a period of time.

 

[Iafeta]

SW, I think you summed Glenn Turner up perfectly.

Very poor man manager, very good analyst/tactician/technician of the game. Wasn't he a bit half ar$ed about turning out for New Zealand himself at various stages to concentrate on his county career?

 

[Hurriflatch]

He was so good he should've been an Australian

 

[JJ]

SW, I think you summed Glenn Turner up perfectly.

Very poor man manager, very good analyst/tactician/technician of the game. Wasn't he a bit half ar$ed about turning out for New Zealand himself at various stages to concentrate on his county career?

no, it was more complex than that.. if he hadn;t have done what he did, the door may never have opened for Hadlee, Howarth, Wright etc later on

In tests he averaged 33 with the bat and 29 with the ball. I know stats don't tell the full story but I don't think he can be classed as a great cricketer. Certainly a cricketer that did his job for his country and had a great deal of talent

I don;t know if I'd catregorise him as great, close though... as TH said, they stack up reasonably against the likes of Botham and Kapil, and also others like Davidson (batting much better, bowling worse) and Lindwall (same)... he also had a period (injury free) where his bowling was much closer to 20 and his batting well above the career mark - much like Flintoff who you're all raving about...

 

[Parra Guru]

He may be a wanker, but he certainly was a crowd pleaser

Thanks for the memories Chris Cairns

 

[Blaze]

Chris who?

Cairns.

 

[El Diablo]

Cairns.

are you going there?

 

[TheParraboy]

so was he pushed into retirement?

thought he gave away tests to play ODI's only so as to hold up
well to play in the 2007 WC??.

 

[JJ]

so was he pushed into retirement?

thought he gave away tests to play ODI's only so as to hold up
well to play in the 2007 WC??.

been no talk of that - I don't think we have the depth to do that sort of thing. He's not looked the goods consistently bowling any more, but can certainly do a job with the bat and could bowl 5 or so decent overs most of the time.

He's got kids etc, and seems to have grown up a bit in recent years, probably a genuine shift in priorities

 

[JJ]

Chris who?

remind me again, El D - despite the ongoing Aust search for all-rounders, how many have scored 3000+ test runs and taken 200+ test wickets... ummmm - NONE.

Richie Benaud played 1 more test than Chris "who", and only scored just over 2,000 runs (but too 200+ wickets)
The great Keith Miller played 7 fewer tests, and didn't manage to get to either mark...

I'm not saying Chris "who" is a better cricketer than Miller - but despite the perception that he's wasted a bit of talent (perhaps, but to me it was more injuries), his test record demands serious respect.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

so was he pushed into retirement?

thought he gave away tests to play ODI's only so as to hold up
well to play in the 2007 WC??.

No one ever actually said that, I think people just sort of assumed that it would be a nice way for him to bow out.

If you read his book (which came out in 2002) it suggests quite clearly that Cairns had thought the 2001/02 test against England at Christchurch (where he got injured and was batting at 11 while Nathan Astle made the fastest ever 200) would be his last, as he was sick of having to return from so many injuries. It also talks about planning for the 2003 World Cup with obvious overtones that it would be his swansong. So really, I'm surprised he's come this far.

 

[Iafeta]

Speaking of the 2003 World Cup, who'll ever forget his run out of Brian Lara from the boundary?

Un-f'n-believable! And a game winning moment (I'm sure we won that one anywaY)

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

To be fair it was a relay throw, Cairns actually threw it from about 10 metres outside the 30 metre circle. Still, it was almost from side-on. When it happened I couldn't quite believe it. Lara had only just come in, imperiously flicked one through midwicket and was basically strolling through for an easy 3 when Cairns nailed the stumps.