I loved batting with Cairns - Fleming

Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, has said that he wasn't surprised at Chris Carins's decision to retire from one-day cricket.

"I won't say it surprised me because it's been a struggle for him for a number of reasons over the last year or so, and I think there were times when he thought `how long do I go on for'," Fleming told Stuff.co.nz. "It's not an easy decision. His motivation was tested last year when he was dropped but he worked hard and got back and I'm sure that pleased him. He's picked his time now and stated very strong reasons [family and business] and we just wish him luck."

Fleming did not try to convince Cairns to play till the World Cup in West Indies in 2007. "He informed me he'd made the decision and that was that," said Fleming. "I've got too much respect for the guy to try to talk him around so I was just disappointed for our sake [New Zealand]. We'd lost a matchwinner, a great entertainer and a bloke who inspired us."

Cairns ranks his century against India in the Champions Trophy final at Nairobi in 2000 as his best knock but Fleming said Cairns's effort against South Africa at Brisbane was better. "He scored a great hundred against South Africa in Brisbane (2001). It was an innings full of character and power hitting - that to me was his best. I think all the guys have got great memories of him. He performed for us in the one-day arena so many times and personally I loved batting with him and played some of my better innings with him at the other end. He just used to take so much pressure off you because of the rate he scored runs at the other end. Most of all I'll just miss watching him. He was a great entertainer."

Fleming added that with the retirement of Cairns, the injury problems with Jacob Oram and Scott Styris were a concern. "The risk now is if we lose Jacob for a time - and his track record hasn't been flash lately - and Scotty's knee doesn't hold up then all of a sudden a strength becomes a weakness. Cairnsey going opens up the door for a number of players but they are huge shoes to fill."