Chris Cairns under pressure?

[Craig]

Frankly his spot might be in doubt. As far as I am concerned he isnt performing and as far as I am concerned, if you dont preform you dont make the team.

IMo he's getting picked on reputation. He doesnt seem to be putting the results on the board.

IMO he will retire after the England tour.

 

[Jono]

Unfortunately I believe you're right. He was bowled today by Razzaq and isn't having a good game. It could be all she wrote for Cairns.

 

[Mister Wright]

He is just coming back from injury and once he gets a consistent run he will play like the Chris Cairns we used to know.

It is hard for him, before he was injured the team was kind of settled - Richardson, Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Parore, Bond, Vettori were all performing and he knew what his role in the squad was. Now the team is choping and changing with lots of bits and pieces players and I pretty sure he is unsure of what his role is - "Am I batsman who bowls a bit? Am I an all-rounder? Or am I just a batsman?"

Once he figures out what his role is he will become more settled and return to form. For me, if his bowling isn't up to scratch maybe he should give it away and become a batsman - he has the class to become a recognised batsman.

 

[Jono]

He's being beaten around the park by Youhana today. I think Mister Wright has a point though, the problem with New Zealand cricket is the inconsistency with their team. The commentators are annoying as well, always wanting something to change here and there. When will they realise that a solid and consistent team is what will bring them success? McCullum gets a good knock down the order and suddenly they want to move him up because the other team failed. Yet the game before that Styris got a hundred. I don't understand their thinking. :-/

Edit: I'd just like to quickly add that Oram and Cairns should not both be in the same ODI team. As I said in the official Pakistan in NZ thread, Oram to me is the new Chris Cairns of NZ and with him there, Chris Cairns really has no use in the team, especially with the way he is playing.

 

[Kent]

I'd keep Cairns in the side - it may not have been televised, but apparently his innings in the 1st ODI in Pak. was one of his very best, so he's still got it in him with the bat. It also means he's done something more recently than say McMillan has.

I think there have been a few glimpses with the ball too - although he's bowling his slower ball as poorly as Vettori's bowling his arm ball. Speaking of which, I'm glad the media have taken their 'untouchable' tag off Vettori, and if that was his big "answer the critics" performance yesterday I'd also drop him before Cairns.

I would axe Cairns if he was a bit flat without the realistic prospect of another WC or a tour to Australia to aim for, but from all reports he's been keener than ever. Perhaps he sees the England tour as his swansong, or perhaps he just wants to make up for so much lost time.

 

[krkode]

I agree that he is being picked on reputation. And what a bloody good one it is.

It's sad that such a great player as he was rendered essentially useless thanks to injury

I hope he fires again, though. Wouldn't want to see Cairns out of NZ...

 

[Richard]

I would love to see Cairns back to his best as he was a brilliant player in his element. Sadly I don't think it's going to happen, in the bowling at the very least. He has been essentially back to full fitness now for a year, and he bowled complete nonsense in county-cricket last summer. This has continued in the international games he has played since and during.
I have never agreed with repeated picking on reputation and judgement of potential - if you have a prolonged bad spell, there can be no justification in your being kept in the side.
If you go back to domestic level and perform again, then you make a case for your recall.

 

[Tim]

Cairns is no way near back at full fitness, you can tell he's still worried about his knee because he's very ginger when he runs up to bowl.

Cairns will never be back at full fitness, his knee won't be 100% again.

 

[anzac]

I think we all know my views on this as I'm probably one of the first to question his selection.......

Richard is right - Cairns has essentially been post op for a season now & Tim is also right - he still looks 'ginger' in his run up......

As I've said on another thread Cairns did score 80+ in the ODI series in Pakistan, but previous to that he hasn't scored with the bat since the VB series 2 years ago on Nz's last tour to OZ, which was also his last test series - or the one following v England???? He hasn't done anything with the ball during this time at all.......

Macca had a good series with the bat in India, but in the TVS Cup reverted back to his old ways and hasn't stopped IMO.......

I'd drop Cairns b4 anyone, then Macca ahead of Vettori who at least is batting well & scoring more runs than Cairns & Macca combined, and he's fielding better than either of them as well........

I don't think that the changes to the NZ Test or ODI squad have got anything to do with his form - he's been playing international cricket for over 10 years & knows what's what..............plus he's had plenty of opportunites as a 'specialist' batsman in ODIs to know the role.........the NZ Test team has never been 'settled' since the RSA Tour 3 seasons ago & the OZ tour was Bond's debut & they lost Bell, O'Connor & Nash - with the latter 2 subsequently being forced to retire............

so far as McCullum goes they were referring to using him to open the innings as a replacement alternative to Cumming, which is where he initially gained selection in the same VB Series referred to earlier, although they also said there was a case not to shift him from where he is doing well.......

IMO they should try him as opener for the rest of this series - case in point todays ODI - Cumming out early but NZ lucky that Fleming & Marshall survived & put together a winning partnership & McCullum doesn't get to bat..........yet he's in good form this season, not just this series & if he doesn't bat then isn't that a bigger waste - particularly when he has shown he is capable of forming productive batting partnerships......

 

[anzac]

having said all that - regardless of the pressure he is under the selectors have continued to select him for the 4th ODI in Napier.......

as I said in the Series thread IMO this means they will continue to select Cairns for the remainder of this series, and I see no reason why they would change for either the RSA Tour or the Tour to England.........

 

[Tim]

I think if Cairns has a poor series against South Africa, he really will be battling up hill to make it to England.

2 poor series should not justify automatic selection for England...if perhaps Wilson is the other contender and he's done all he can in the domestic matches to show that he's in good form then chances are the selectors hand will be forced.

I would also suspect that if Cairns fails against South Africa & is dropped, then he'll retire.

 

[anzac]

the England Tour will be too late for Wilson or any other bowling hopeful not selected prior to the naming of that Touring Squad...

Bond is supposed to be back in the equation by then, and I can't see them looking outside those they have already selected this series - even more so if they select Harris in the ODI side.....

 

[anzac]

Cairns & Harris have been 2 of NZ's best cricketers since the mid / late '80s, and in Cairns' case one of the best allrounders of his era. It will be a great shame to their memory if their careers ended in the current form etc.

For such a long time they were both favorites of mine until recent injuries & form robbed them of their effectiveness.........

my rantings re their selections are NOT against them as players, but against the selectors - both in their policies and in reducing the playing careers of 2 of NZ's recent 'greats' to mockeries of their past exploits..........

To me it's the same as if Waugh had not been selected for the Ashes series or if he had not made that ton in Sydney & his career had ended 12 months ago...........ending not with a bang but a whimper.......