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| February 6, 2003 | Thursday | Zul Hijjah 4,1423 |
Cairns won’t bowl in initial ties
JOHANNESBURG, Feb 5: Struggling all-rounder Chris Cairns ruled out his chances of bowling in New Zealand’s opening World Cup matches on Wednesday.
“I will be available to bat, but not bowl, from the start,” he said. “I contracted a rib injury, just on my comeback, four weeks ago. It’s been just trying to manage that and get through it.”
Cairns missed most of the 2002 season following two knee operations before making a cautious comeback as a specialist batsman in December.
Asked when he would be fit to bowl, he added: “I probably can’t give a specific date, I’m just monitoring it day by day.”
The slow recovery of their most valuable player will add further concern to New Zealand, who already risk the loss of two points after refusing to play Group B rivals Kenya in Nairobi.
Cairns had been sidelined from international cricket for almost 10 months before making his comeback in the last three games of New Zealand’s 5-2 one-day series victory over India.
But he then suffered a rib injury to dent his hopes of bolstering Kiwis’ already impressive World Cup pace attack.
“It’s been a fight to get here,” said Cairns. “The challenge of actually being fit to get to South Africa has meant I have had to work very very hard. But mentally it’s been very good.
“Hopefully I will have a chance to bowl later in the tournament,” he added.
“I can still feel it (the rib) during the day, but it’s getting better all the time.”
The 32-year-old said he was bowling only at half-pace in the nets and an early return could jeopardise his World Cup.
“I can’t (take chances),” he added. “If I do come back and bowl early when I am not quite right and re-injure it, I am out of the whole tournament.
Cairns said the presence of fast bowlers such as Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram meant Kiwis could still do well without him as a bowler.
“We have some very good bowlers,” he said. “I am confident they will be able to get us through.”—Reuters
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