I wrote something a while back on the quite dignified response Chris Cairns showed when John Bracewell dropped him for the South Africa tour. I thought Cairns showed a lot of humility and respect for Bracewell in his comments to the media and looked inward to the solution to a potential recall rather than spit tacks at those around him.

Bracewell’s plan though, clearly backfired as New Zealand were demolished in the ODI series in South Africa.

Bracewell has an interesting dilemma to face. Recalling Cairns now, would no doubt be a boost to the weakened NZ side, but Cairns has not had the time to demonstrate his commitment to playing more domestic cricket. This was the criteria laid down by Bracewell as being a mandatory prerequisite to Cairns’s consideration for reselection.

The NZ domestic season is yet to start, but the Chappell Hadley trophy will soon be underway, and it’s a competition NZ would like to win.

At various stages over the last few years, beating Australia in an ODI tournament has seemed within the grasp of reality. Shane Bond’s return to fitness (although not yet to form) would also be a key ingredient to their hopes.

But to pick Cairns would be to U-Turn on Bracewell’s own rationale for dropping him in the first place and would reek of desperation.

To pick Cairns or not to pick? There are consequences either way, but in the long term, not standing by his principles could be a very costly decision for the NZ coach to make.