New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns could yet win his battle to be fit for the upcoming tour of Australia. Cairns, who has not played for New Zealand since last November, is recovering from surgery on his right knee, following a patella tendonitis problem. Dayle Hadlee, coach of the New Zealand Academy, has been monitoring Cairns' rehabilitation. "Judging by his progress at the moment, and the commitment he has made, I'd say his Test chances are pretty reasonable," Hadlee said. "The action is the same, he's not favouring the knee or anything - he looks good. But I do think he has to be carefully managed - he is crucial to our success at that level."

NZC fitness advisor Warren Frost is also upbeat about Cairns' chances. "We put him through some testing last (week) and it showed that the strength difference between his right and left leg had been reduced to 5 per cent - which was an encouraging sign. At the moment Chris is `smashing' his leg, which involves working hard on his strength. Three times a week he's bowling about eight overs off half a run-up, and he's now running on grass as opposed to the gymnasium treadmill. Our goal is to try to have him right for Australia, but we wouldn't let that goal over-ride the player's best interests," Frost said.

With New Zealand's planned tour of Pakistan virtually certain to be called off in the wake of the terrorist attacks in America, the selection panel have three weeks to reassess the squad for Australia. The first Test in Brisbane is scheduled to start on November 8.

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