AFP, Sydney
New Zealand cricket legend Chris Cairns was fighting for his life in a Sydney hospital Wednesday, with his wife speaking out for the first time about their “upsetting” ordeal.
Cairns, 51, one of the world’s top all-rounders in the early 2000s, is being treated at a specialist unit after a serious cardiac problem emerged last week.
“He’s in a serious but stable condition in intensive care,” a spokesman for St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney told AFP.
Cairns was reported to be on life support following an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery.
In a brief statement, Cairns' wife Melanie said it was a “difficult, upsetting and concerning” situation for the family.
She said Cairns suffered “a major medical event” in Canberra and had since undergone heart surgery in both the Australian capital and Sydney.
“Chris’ family and friends are heartened by the respectful and warm manner in which this terrible news has been reported and received by the public, both in New Zealand around the world, and thanks everyone for their warm wishes, prayers and kind words,” she said.
“For now no further statements will be made regarding Chris’ situation.”
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said the cricket fraternity was “deeply concerned” to learn of Cairns' medical emergency.
“Chris is a much loved husband, father, and son - and remains one of our finest all-rounders. We hope he’s able to make a full recovery.” White said.
Cairns, whose father Lance also played for New Zealand, at one time held the record for the most sixes in Test cricket -- a record now held by McCullum -- and was the sixth player to achieve the all-rounders double of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs.
