Chris Cairns denies any involvement in match-fixing

Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand all-rounder, on Tuesday denied allegations of attempting to coerce his former teammates into fixing cricket matches. Cairns, who is on trial on account of perjury and perverting the course of justice, took the stand at the Southwark Crown Court for the first time in the trial where he denied even contemplating match-fixing.

Cairns began his testimony by categorically stating that he was not a fixer. When defence consel Orlando Pownall asked him if he was involved in match-fixing at any stage, Cairns replied: "No." Cairns then went on to deny that he had even considered fixing. The former New Zealand Test cricketer, however, admitted discussing match-fixing with Brendon McCullum but refuted claims of attempting to convince the current New Zealand skipper to throw away games.

Cairns also accused former teammate Lou Vincent of being on drugs when the duo played together in the Indian Cricket League in 2008. In his testimony, Vincent had claimed that he was approached by an individual called Varun Gandhi to fix matches and that he had informed Cairns about the approach. Cairns repudiated any such conversation and went on to rubbish Vincent's testimony, in which he had also accused Cairns of recruiting him into a match-fixing ring and of threatening him with a cricket bat when an alleged fix went wrong.

Cairns' perjury case will continue with a round of cross questions from the prosecution.