|
|
|
|
|
  |
|
Cairns: Steve Waugh is my inspiration Wisden CricInfo staff - October 21, 2001
CANBERRA (Reuters) "You have to take a leaf out of Steve Waugh's book and see what he did in the last Test in England," Cairns said. "Steve is an example to every cricketer, not just Australians. Playing the Australian way is more mental anyway. "I'm on a journey I know will take me to the first Test [on November 8]. If it wasn't Australia I may have given myself a little more time, but the lure of coming here is too great." Waugh, who missed the fourth Test in England with a calf injury, smashed an unbeaten 157 not out in the fifth Test at The Oval despite his injury deteriorating during the innings. Waugh, 36, had endured several hours of treatment and pool workouts daily to recover in time for the fifth Test. Cairns joined the New Zealand squad on Saturday ahead of the second match of the tour against an Australian Capital Territory Invitational XI starting at Canberra's Manuka Oval on Sunday. Cairns, 31, a veteran of 49 Tests in an injury-interrupted career, said being the son of hard-hitting former New Zealand allrounder Lance Cairns was sometimes a burden. "It would have been nice to have discovered myself a little earlier," Cairns was quoted as saying in the Sunday Herald-Sun newspaper. "Talent is often the hardest tag anyone can have because there are always expectations. "I am sired by one of New Zealand's top players. You get that tag and you just have to try to come through with the goods. It's quite funny because no matter what I ever do, people still think my father is better than I am." Cairns has made 2572 runs at an average of 32.55 with four centuries since making his debut against Australia at Perth in 1989. He has also taken 171 wickets at 29.21, compared to Lance's 130 wickets at 32.92 from 43 Tests. New Zealand's three-Test series against world champions Australia starts in Brisbane on November 8.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd |
|
|
| |||
|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
