Allegations 'absurd, bizarre' - Cairns

Chris Cairns
Chris Cairns
Chris Cairns named Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills as three players who have aided the ICC's investigation into his alleged role in match-fixing.

Cairns was given full disclosure to evidence against him and outed the three current and former players as those who names appear in ICC anti-corruption documents.

He said two of those players recalled McCullum telling them he was approached by Cairns in 2008, while another memory was too "foggy" to give a statement.

Cairns arrived back in New Zealand today after spending the week in London with his lawyer Aaron Lloyd.

He describes the allegations ranged against him as "absurd, bizarre and scary".

He was questioned by the Metropolitan Police in relation to an investigation into possible match-fixing, with a view to the possibility he perjured himself in the defamation case Cairns v Modi in the High Court.

Cairns is one of three players - the others are Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent - being investigated by the ICC's anti-corruption unit.

They played together in the short-lived Indian Cricket league for the Chandigarh Lions. Cairns and Tuffey have consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Vincent has admitted he is fully co-operating with the investigation.

Cairns said he attempted to befriend a troubled Vincent in 2008, but Vincent had betrayed that friendship and was trying to mitigate against his own fixing.

"In 2008, he had a lot of problems that he has admitted to," Cairns said. "I endeavoured to become a friend to him in these difficult times. He has betrayed the friendship I offered him.

"He now seeks to portray himself as a whistleblower. He is nothing of the sort. The truth is he has been caught cheating and seeks to mitigate his sins by blaming others. The allegations he and his ex-wife make against me are despicable lies."

Cairns said Brendon McCullum, who also testified against Cairns after allegedly being approached, had waited three year before reporting the alleged approach.

Cairns went on to reveal he had learned the identities of the former New Zealand players who had made statements against him.

"Based on the information I was provided in London, I now understand that there were two past players and one current New Zealand player, who Mr McCullum said he spoke to about the alleged approach.

"These three ex or current New Zealand players have made no direct accusation against me.

"These players are Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills, the brother of New Zealand Cricket Players' Association head Heath Mills. Two of these men made statements supporting Mr McCullum's claim that he spoke to them. The third man told investigators his memory was foggy and he could not make a statement in support of Mr McCullum.

"It is also significant that none of those players seem to have spoken to anyone at the ICC or any other organisation about my alleged conversation with Mr McCullum until this year, 2014."

 

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