Cairns ends two-year wait to join elite group

New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns joined an elite group during the second Test against South Africa, when he captured his 200th wicket on Monday to go with the 3,000 runs he reached on Saturday. His contribution was instrumental in a nine-wicket victory that gave the home side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but the final push to become the sixth player to achieve the feat has taken a lot longer than he would have liked.

Cairns reached 3,000 runs when he got to 108 in his swashbuckling knock of 158 in New Zealand8217;s first innings, and on the fourth day was harshly treated by Jacques Rudolph and Jacques Kallis in his opening spell with the ball. However, Nicky Boje duly obliged on the fifth morning, edging to Brendon McCullum behind the stumps to spark a three-wicket salvo for the relieved Cairns.

He is the second New Zealander to attain the double after Sir Richard Hadlee and joins an illustrious list containing Sir Garfield Sobers, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan.

8220;It8217;s just nice to go to Wellington for the third Test without anything on my mind. I8217;m really looking forward to just getting out there and playing,8221; Cairns said. 8212; Reuters