Date-stamped : 09 Sep97 - 06:08
September 09, 1997

Cairns puts Kenyan bowlers to the sword

From The Press

There was still plenty of hard work to do despite
the match-winning exploits of Chris Cairns, New Zealand cricket
coach Steve Rixon said after New Zealand's first tour win
yesterday.

The New Zealanders reversed their disappointing form of the
drawn three-day match with Kenya on Saturday to record a 118-run
win in the first of two one-day games against the Kenyans. The
Canterbury all-rounder exploded with the bat, contributing a
rollicking 157 runs, 105 of them coming off just 29 deliveries
in New Zealand's total of 363 for six.

In reply the hosts slumped to 246 for eight off their 50 overs
after opener Kennedy Otieno had anchored the innings with his
country's first one-day international century.

Rixon described Cairns' innings as "something special" and was
also encouraged with an improved outing by the bowlers and
fielders.

Cairns was well supported yesterday by opener Craig Spearman and
captain Stephen Fleming, who chipped in with solid contributions
of 70 and 63 respectively.

Rixon said the batsmen had shaken off the winter cobwebs more
rapidly than the bowlers, but thought it only a matter of time
before both components fell into place.

"Unfortunately we're going through our high and low troughs at
the moment. Most bowlers at some stage are bowling some good
spells, they're still bowling some poor ones. We can't afford
that."

Slow bowlers Chris Harris and Gavin Larsen were the best of the
New Zealand attack yesterday.

Harris, the only bowler to bowl the maximum 10 overs, picked up
two wickets for 36 runs, while Larsen snared two for 28 off
seven overs.

Source :: The Canterbury Press (http://www.press.co.nz/)

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