Lance Cairns

Cairns has been profoundly deaf since age 17, which he blamed on working in noisy conditions. In December 2009 he was fitted with a cochlear implant. He is the Ambassador for The National Foundation for the Deaf Inc and participates in raising awareness for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities.

Following his retirement from cricket, Cairns concentrated on his golf skills and became a low-handicap golfer known for his extremely long drives. After relocating to Gisborne, he met and later married Carol Edwards, who died in 2008 from cancer. He represented Poverty Bay-East Coast at New Zealand Masters tournaments.

Cairns was the subject of an episode of the TVNZ production This Is Your Life in 1998 which was presented by Paul Holmes.

Still a sentimental crowd favourite, he was nevertheless left out of the New Zealand World Series Cup squad which returned to Australia in January 1986. This unpopular decision, albeit inevitable due to injury and loss of form, spelled the end of his international career. Like long-standing captain Geoff Howarth at the beginning of the summer, Cairns was forced into retirement, and somewhat controversially denied the dignity of choosing his own 'time to go'.

Cairns recovered to play in the World Championship of Cricket in Sydney and Melbourne in February 1985. A highlight for Cairns was his fine innings against eventual champions India in the semi-final at the SCG (39 out of a total of 206, but with no sixes). In March he left for his last major tour as a frontline player for New Zealand, a harrowing trip to the West Indies where New Zealand lost heavily against the often brutal fast bowling of the homeside. Cairns played in only the first two tests of the four test series taking only five wickets at an average of 63.00. At aged 36 his decline as an international player seemed inevitable.

His final series for New Zealand was a personal anti-climax for this immensely popular cricketer. The historic 1985/86 test series win in Australia saw Cairns play only in the deciding third test in Perth. Although playing in his usual spirited fashion, Cairns failed to take a wicket, nor score a run, in this his final international game. Despite Cairns' disappointment, New Zealand won by six wickets to take the series 2–1, and it was fitting, considering his unselfish service to New Zealand cricket since 1974, that Cairns was part of this 'ultimate' triumph.

Cairns experienced a serious injury when he came out to bat without a helmet against Pakistan in the Third Test in Dunedin in 1984/85. He received a blow to the back of the head from 19-year-old paceman Wasim Akram. After retiring hurt, Cairns was hospitalised with a suspected hairline fracture of the skull and complained of 'dizzy spells' for months afterwards. In testament to his courage, Cairns was 'padded up', this time with a helmet, ready to return to the crease, as New Zealand fought another famous rearguard action to win the test and series. History showed he was not required as Jeremy Coney (111*), this time supported by number eleven Ewen Chatfield (21*), took New Zealand to victory by two wickets.

Cairns was a swing bowler with an unorthodox 'front on' action. He took 130 Test Match wickets and 89 ODI wickets. He took ten wickets in New Zealand's first ever win on English soil, at Headingley in 1983.

- TCN Nine commentators Ian Chappell and Frank Tyson, 13 February 1983.

In the 1983/84 home series against England Cairns took his best test figures of 7-143 off 45 overs in the first test at the Basin Reserve, Wellington. After New Zealand's modest first innings total of 219, Cairns took the first five English wickets with only 115 on the board, which put the home side in a strong position on day two. However, a spectacular sixth wicket, 232 run, partnership between Ian Botham (138) and Derek Randall (164) put the visitors in command on day three with New Zealand facing a tough battle over the remaining two days to save the test.

New Zealand were favourites coming into the finals of the World Series Cup, a tournament heavily hyped as a chance for New Zealand to gain 'revenge' after the 'underarm' incident in 1980/81. The 1982/83 series saw New Zealand achieve an impressive run of victories in the ten match qualifying round with Australia and England. This included three consecutive wins over Australia and a famous match in Adelaide, where two world records were broken on the same day. New Zealand scored a world record 297–6, in beating England's 296–5.

He was a member of both the one-day and Test New Zealand teams between 1974 and 1985. He also appeared for Central Districts, Northern Districts and Otago in New Zealand domestic cricket. He was also the professional for Bishop Auckland in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League in the North East of England.

Bernard Lance Cairns (born 10 October 1949) is a former all-rounder who played for the New Zealand cricket team, and is the father of New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns.