Lance Cairns

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Lance Cairns

New Zealand
Personal information
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium-fast
Career statistics
Tests ODIs
Matches 43 78
Runs scored 928 987
Batting average 16.28 16.72
100s/50s 0/2 0/2
Top score 64 60
Balls bowled 10628 4015
Wickets 130 89
Bowling average 32.92 30.52
5 wickets in innings 6 1
10 wickets in match 1 n/a
Best bowling 7/74 5/28
Catches/stumpings 30/- 19/-

As of 4 February 2006
Source: Cricinfo

Bernard Lance Cairns (born October 10, 1949 in Picton, New Zealand) is a former all-rounder who played for the New Zealand cricket team, and is the father of New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns.

He was a member of both the one-day and Test New Zealand teams between 1974 and 1985. He also appeared for Central Districts, Northern Counties and Otago in New Zealand domestic Cricket. He was also the professional for Bishop Auckland in the North Yorkshire and South Durham league in the North East of England.

Cairns was one of the most powerful hitters of any era. In one of the his most famous innings he hit 6 sixes v Australia in a One Day International in 1983. New Zealand were chasing a then record score of 300, and all hope seemed lost when Cairns came to the wicket. Cairns' astonishing one handed shots into the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and his effortless, cheery demeanour, rendered him a folk hero to his supporters and painted a look of horror on the faces of Australians such as Dennis Lillee, despite New Zealand never being in with a realistic chance of winning the match. Thereafter Cairns' arrival at the crease in home matches was always greeted with a considerable reception from the crowd.

In a domestic match, for Otago v Wellington, he hit 110, his only century, in 51 balls hitting 9 sixes in an hour. He scored 928 Test Match and 987 ODI runs at more than a run a ball.

He was also known for the unusual bat he wielded throughout much of his career. Known as "Excalibur", the shoulders of the bat were planed down to form a conical rather than rectangular shape.

Cairns was primarily a swing bowler with an unorthodox 'front on' action. He took 130 Test Match wickets and 89 ODI wickets. He took ten wickets in New Zealand's first ever win on English soil, at Headingley in 1983.

Following his retirement from cricket, Cairns concentrated on his golf skills and became a low-handicap golfer known for his extremely long drives. He represented Poverty Bay-East Coast at New Zealand Masters tournaments.

Lance Cairns is married to Sue. In 1993 their daughter Louise was tragically killed when a truck hit the train she was travelling in. They have a grandson, Thomas, child of son Chris and his partner Carin.

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