Chris Cairns in serious but stable condition, confirms Sydney hospital

A Sydney hospital on Wednesday confirmed that former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns is in a serious but stable condition in its intensive care unit.

The 51-year-old Cairns had experienced an aortic dissection in his heart last week and this is a serious condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body's main artery, reported stuff.co.nz.

Ever since then, the former all-rounder has undergone several operations but hasn't responded to treatment. Cairns was transferred to St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on Tuesday.

"Mr. Cairns is in a serious but stable condition in intensive care at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney after being transferred from Canberra", stuff.co.nz quoted a hospital spokesperson as saying.

Cairns played 62 Tests, 215 ODIs, and two T20Is for New Zealand between 1989 and 2006.

The veteran all-rounder amassed 3,320 Test runs at an average of over 33 and took 218 wickets at an average of just over 29.

In ODIs, Cairns gathered 4,950 runs at 29.46 and took 201 wickets at 32.80. Cairns was named as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the year in 2000, and is the son of former New Zealand all-rounder Lance Cairns.