World-ranked New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns will be available for all of the side's winter programme except the West Indies tour.

He will play in the Sharjah Cup, most of the Pakistan tour and the ICC Champions Trophy, expected to be played in Sri Lanka.

The contract Cairns has signed with Nottinghamshire allows him to be available for NZC for 21 days. The Sharjah Cup is played from April 8-17 and will be followed by the Pakistan tour.

He will then join the team for the ICC Champions Trophy in September.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive, Martin Snedden, said NZC's priority had been to secure Cairns' services for the ICC Champions Trophy and then for as much of the Pakistan tour as possible.

"My first priority was to have Chris Cairns available to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy, which is an important building block in our campaign to contest the Cricket World Cup in February 2003.

"We had initially thought, prior to the Pakistan tour coming into the frame, that we would utilise Chris' remaining availability during the West Indies tour, but the timing of this tour clashes with the expected arrival of Chris and his partner's first child.

"I have decided that, in the circumstances, it was in everyone's best interests for Chris to be available to us for as much of the Pakistan tour as possible. He will remain with the CLEAR Black Caps throughout the Sharjah Cup and travel onto Pakistan where he will take part in the one-day series and then the first Test in Lahore but will miss the second Test in Karachi," Snedden said.

Cairns' manager, Leanne McGoldrick, said Cairns was very pleased to be available for the CLEAR Black Caps for an important part of the winter programme.

"When we were negotiating with Notts we were aiming to have Chris released to play for the West Indies tour. The Pakistan tour was not on the schedule.

"However, the way it has worked out Chris will be able to stay on after Sharjah with the team and make a contribution to much of the Pakistan tour. Chris and Carin's baby is due in mid-June and they are both really excited at the prospect of parenthood," McGoldrick said.

"They are both thankful that the schedule will allow Chris be completely involved in the birth experience and he is very much looking forward to it," she said.

© CricInfo