Cairns makes his choice

Press, 6 October 1988, Page 52

Cairns makes his choice

Chris Cairns confirmed yesterday that his immediate cricket future lies in Northland. He leaves for Whangarei on Tuesday to challenge for a place in the Northern Districts team. In the last few days Cairns has played a fifth grade match for Lancaster Park and practised at his old school, Christchurch Boys’ High, but early hopes that he might pursue a place in the Canterbury squad have been dashed. The former New Zealand junior all-rounder who is now the youngest professional on the books of county side Nottinghamshire in England, was swayed by the beneficial influence Lance has had on his career. “It was my own deci-

sion to go north,” said Cairns. "I feel that the three seasons I have spent with Dad have done me very well and I need at least one more season of his guidance. “Dad’s coaching has helped me get where I am, so why not carry on?” The successful fatherson formula persuaded Cairns to prefer Northern Districts rather than try for the role of Richard Hadlee’s bowling partner in the Canterbury team. However, Cairns concedes his term in Whangarei might not extend beyond the 1988-89 summer in which he will “aim to make the Northern Districts side.” After that he returns to Nottinghamshire, where he made his first-class

debut just before his eighteenth birthday last June. Cairns had gone to England to play second XI cricket and was surprised to be promoted when the West Indian fast-medium bowler, Franklyn Stephenson, suffered a broken nose. Cairns took 15 inexpensive wickets in four appearances. Club officials were impressed and signed him on a one-year contract. “I’d like to put a bit more pressure on Stephenson next year so that he’ll know someone is there after his place. That might not be easy the way he finished this year,” he said. Cairns is not listening to any suggestions he is too young for first-class cricket — “nowadays age

doesn't come into it. If you’re physically fit enough and mentally tuned you can do it.” When Cairns returns to Nottingham he intends to prove his credentials as an all-rounder rather than just a bowler of unusual potential. “They used me down the order at eight or nine so I had no chance to show much. I’d like to bat at six or seven,” he said. Meanwhile Sydenham has protested against Cairns playing against its fifth grade team last Saturday on the grounds that he was playing out of his grade. The Canterbury Cricket Association executive director, Brian Eathorne, said the protest would be heard within a day or two.