Former New Zealand (NZ) cricketer Chris Cairns, who is currently involved in an intense court battle to acquit himself of match-fixing allegations, has quite literally taken to the street to earn money and provide for his wife and four children. The 44-year old has been incurring huge legal expenses over the last couple of years and has consequently been forced to take up a job with the Auckland council. His current job, which fetches him a modest $17 per hour, entails driving a truck that goes around cleaning bus shelters in New Zealand’s largest city, signalling a huge fall from grace for one of New Zealand’s greatest all-rounders. Former NZ fast bowler Dion Nash said that he is firmly behind his former-team-mate despite Cairns being shrouded by numerous match-fixing allegations recently. "He (Cairns) is trying really hard and supporting his family the best way he can. He's not moping around, he's showing guts and doing hard work by cleaning bus shelters," said Nash. "All I can do is support him, but as a friend it is really hard to watch his name being dragged through the mud with no conclusion in sight. He's a champion guy and he will come through this stronger," added Nash. It must be extremely difficult for Cairns to come to terms with the reality he is confronting at the moment. After all, it was just three years back that he was living and working in Dubai as a diamond trader and had purchased a 3.2 carat diamond while proposing to his third wife, Mel Croser. Croser, who currently works as a project manager, had, in a recent interview to a women’s magazine, said that that her husband took up the cleaning job as he had no other option. “He has no choice, he has to provide for his family. We have bills to pay like everyone else. We don't own a house, we're paying rent and getting by is a struggle," she said. Ironically, though, Cairns and his young family continue to live in Herne Bay, one of Auckland’s most expensive localities.

• published: 19 Sep 2014
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