Former cricket player Chris Cairns repeatedly denies match fixing
Chris Cairns, the former cricket captain of New Zealand has been repeatedly questioned regarding the allegations of match fixing. Cairns has repeatedly denied his involvement, and once again had to defend himself in front the Southwark Crown Court in London.
Suspicions started in 2010 when former Indian Premier
League Commissioner Lalit Modi posted a tweet accusing Cairns of match fixing. Cairns
sued Modi for libel and declared under oath he was innocent, winning the case
in 2010. He received £90,000 for costs and damages. It didn’t end there. In
December 2013 he was yet again the subject of allegations when ICC
(International Cricket Council) initiated an investigation of match fixing. He
is suspected to have attempted to manipulate cricket games in the Indian
Cricket League while he was playing for Chandigarh Lions. Cairns has denied and
rejected these claims.
Cairns countryman and former teammate Lou Vincent
admitted to partaking in match fixing in a video testimonial in July 2014.
Vincent’s apology for cheating got him banned for life from cricket, but also
put Cairns on the spot. Although Cairns won the libel trial and denied his
involvement in any match fixing, the Metropolitan Police declared in September
2014 that they would bring Cairns in for perjury in conjunction with the Modi
libel trial.
More evidence was brought forward in the still ongoing
perjury trial, when Vincent witnessed saying: “I was under direct orders from Chris
Cairns to be involved in match-fixing.” Vincent was first approached by an
Indian businessman Varun Gandhi believing it was a sponsorship deal. Vincent
was offered £32,000 per game and a prostitute, who he later confessed
to have slept with. In return he had to under perform in fixed games and got his
orders from Cairns. “There were four games I fixed for Cairns in the April/May
tournament 2008. I played between eight and 12 games. In three or the four
games I was instructed either on the bus or at breakfast. Maybe score 15 runs
off twenty balls and get out. “, said Vincent regretfully.
With
Vincent‘s vivid testimonial among others, Cairns is now cornered. With evidence
ranging from cheating, prostitutes, diamond deals, drug-taking and large
payments from bookies it was highly anticipated that Cairns would appear on the
witness stand in an attempt to exonerate himself. Cairns is also flanked by his former
legal adviser Andrew Fitch-Holland who is charged for perverting the course of
justice in regard to the libel trial in 2012 and evidence points to their
guilt. The
trial is still ongoing and Cairns continues to deny his involvement in match
fixing. He claims to never have been approached by bookies to stage the games
in order for punters to win on their betting. Therefore it was interesting to read the news recently
of Cairns getting up on the stand to defend himself.
The
former New Zealand captain claimed that Lou Vincent never told him about the
prostitute “gifted” to Vincent back in 2008. Cairns also denied he ever asked
his teammate to under perform in fixed games for payment during their time in
the Indian Cricket League or that he never suggested such thing. It was an
exhibition in no-saying and Cairns seemed composed and confident during the
whole questioning.
Whether or not he will be found guilty future will
tell, but his reputation as one of cricket’s best all rounders, has unquestionably been dragged in the dirt for a foreseeable
time to come.
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