All the interest on Chris Cairns' recovery from knee surgery has centred on his bowling, but he showed today he had lost none of his batting skills in an action-packed innings for the New Zealand Academy XI against Otago at Lincoln Green.

On the first day of the second of two two-day games, the Academy team batted first in order to lessen the strain on its bowlers after spending the previous day in the field. The batsmen certainly appreciated the opportunity and when play ended after 99.4 overs, the Academy was 464/9.

Jamie How, opened the innings and was third man out with the score on 266. His own contribution was 126 runs scored in 267 minutes, including two sixes and 14 fours.

Shanan Stewart joined How in a 119-run stand and in the 26 minutes before tea the Otago spinners took a pounding as 50 runs were added. Stewart scored 89 from 143 balls, and shared a scintillating fifth wicket partnership with Cairns that posted 111 runs in 71 minutes.

Cairns took 56 minutes over his 50, and finished on 70 scored from 50 balls. In one Shayne O'Connor over he hit 14 runs off three balls, including a six that soared, on the up, over long-established trees on the eastern boundary of the ground. He hit 11 fours and two sixes in his innings.

It was former CLEAR Black Cap David Sewell who ended Cairns' carnage when bowling him with the first ball of his second spell of the day.

Wickets then tumbled as the Academy sought quick runs but there was still time for Aaron Redmond, who had been called into the side to replace an injured Nathan McCullum. He scored 46 off 25 balls.

Sewell finished the most successful of the Otago bowlers with three for 52 while Jordan Sheed took two for 24.

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