Cairns to play as specialist batsman after injury

Chris Cairns will not bowl during the forthcoming triangular one-day series involving New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan after aggravating an old side injury.

Cairns strained his right side during a recent one-day match for Nottinghamshire. He will play as a specialist batsman during the seven-match tournament.

Cairns' side strain is the latest in a long list of injuries that have plagued his career. He missed most of the last year after major knee surgery and has struggled to regain full fitness since.

"It's frustrating," said Cairns. "I keep trying to come back all the time but my problem is that I am coming back in a game and I am not giving myself enough time in the nets.

"You always want to do a good job, be it for your country or county, but I am not doing justice to myself by playing when I am not ready."

"I don't want to set a time frame on my recovery...I just want to make sure that when I do bowl again in a game that I am fully fit."