The 31-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the club.

Cairns is currently rated as the third best all-rounder in Test cricket.

Cairns has previously spent six seasons at Trent Bridge in three separate spells, the last in 1996.

He will replace Australian Greg Blewett as the county's overseas signing.

"I am looking forward to renewing my relationship with Notts," Cairns said.

"I have always kept an eye on how they're going in the Championship and I'm really excited about being a part of that next year.

"There will be many new faces at the club so I hope my experience can not only help the club to a great season but also help the young guys as well."

Nottinghamshire cricket manager Clive Rice said: "Chris is an out-and-out batsman and an out-and-out strike bowler rolled into one."

Rice compared his new signing with former New Zealand all-rounder Richard Hadlee, who was instrumental in bringing a 17-year-old Cairns to Notts in 1988.

Injury trouble

Cairns has been out of action for the last year after having surgery on his right knee. He has in the past also been out of action with left knee trouble.

But he returned to action in style on Saturday, taking five wickets for the Black Caps against Queensland in a warm-up match ahead of Thursday's first Test against Australia.

Although New Zealand are due to play two Tests and three one-day internationals in the West Indies in June, Nottinghamshire are attempting to work out a compromise solution to see Cairns play only part of that.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) blocked Cairns' attempt to play for Notts in 2000 by offering him a cash incentive to take the Southern Hemisphere winter off.

'Destructive middle order'

Rice's assistant Mick Newell said that, although the club would be monitoring Cairns' fitness prior to the season, the club was not overly worried by his injury history.

"He came back strong from his first knee surgery so there's no reason why he shouldn't do so again," Newell told BBC Sport Online.

"Chris still has some ambitions he wants to achieve in cricket and one of them is to come back to Notts and win some trophies."

Newell sees Cairns batting at five or six in the order in first class cricket, perhaps higher in one-day matches, where his international strike rate of 80.19 can be brought to bear.

As a bowler, Cairns is expected to be used in short spells, and the New Zealand authorities could still have some say over his workload.

"He will probably either bowl first change or open along with Paul Franks and Greg Smith," said Newell.

"He's not an up-front strike bowler like Glenn McGrath but he can certain make an impact."