Chris Cairns has decided to retire from international cricket with his last match being the one against the Windies in a 20-20 encounter.
Dont think too many people would pick him in a 90's XI or would call him their favourite player, but he was a unique player. Probably was the most under performing player of the 90's after Carl Hooper (I was a great fan of Hoopers perfectly balanced stance). When I was growing up he was probably the one guy who held my fascination for the single reason that he hit a six with the bottom hand off the bat against the Aussies on one of their grounds which by the way are pretty big.
In an era where cricketers in the name of "being professional" have become more and more uninteresting on and off the field, it was not the case with Cairns. You could always sense the change in the atmosphere when he would walk out to bat. His performance in the 1999-2000 season made him the Wisden cricketer of the year.
And no Indian could forget the century he scored in Nairobi that season to win the ICC champions trophy for the Kiwis, a brutal straight six off Anil Kumble standing out in my memory.
And the sad part is we might not see a player like Cairns again.....
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3 comments:
he hit the one handed six at Melbourne!! When Cairns was around any target I felt the Kiwis could chase any target.....he did it many times...
The best part abt. Cairns was he had his sixes, his nippy seamers and then beyond. For me my fav. moment was when Cairns got his 200th Test wicket [against England prolly] and bowled his next delivery wrong-footed just like a certain Mr. Lance Cairns, his father :)...
That was Cairns for you, even in all his glory, he paid his father the ultimate tribute :)...
One thing is correct, we mite not se e the likes of Cairns again..sadly..
Hey Ranjan,
Yeah I remember that one as well. He bowled it with his right foot in front. By the way he also had a good slower ball as well and I once remember Chris Read ducking expecting a bouncer which turned out to be a slower ball yourker length and getting out bowled. By the way his 200th wicket was against India just after that England tour.
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