Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns on trial for perjury

Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns is under trial after he was accused of perjury in a libel case he bought and won against former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi. He is also accused of subverting natural course of justice.

Modi made a claim on Twitter in 2012 that he Cairns had been involved in match-fixing in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League. Cairns had appeared for the Chandigarh Lions in the 2008 edition of the event, and denied Modi’s claims, even winning the libel case in court in 2012 and claiming damages worth £90,000 (AU $190,000).

According to prosecutor Sasha Wass, Cairns, along with friend Andrew Mitch-Holland, induced former teammate Lou Vincent into giving false testimony during the libel case. Vincent himself was reportedly involved in match-fixing along with Cairns. A recording of a Skype conversation between Fitch-Holland and Vincent was played in court in which the latter appeared to admit that he lied in a legal document submitted to the court during the libel action, meaning that Cairns had actually been involved in match-fixing.

“It’s a big ask from me to … in a legal document say something that isn’t true. I am not proud of what has happened at all … it’s hard for me to live with what’s gone on,” Vincent said in the Skype call recording heard in the court, according to the Guardian.

Cairns is also accused of approaching New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to play in the Indian Cricket League and throw games, getting paid $70,000-$180,000 (AU $96,000-$246,000) a game to do so. McCullum was reportedly first approached by Cairns in a hotel while he was with the Kolkata Knightriders of the IPL, and again in a café in Worcestershire in the U.K.

McCullum reported the incident to ICC authorities only when the New Zealand team reached India for the 2011 World Cup. Cairns is also accused of once threatening Lou Vincent with a bat after he scored too many runs, causing Cairns to lose a $250,000 (AU $342,615) bet.

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