Players turn on ‘match-fixing’ cricket hero

Chris Cairns leaves Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday.

He confessed to match-fixing previous year and was banned from cricket for life.

Fitch-Holland faces one charge of perverting the course for trying to induce Vincent to provide a false statement for the libel trial during a Skype conversation the former cricketer recorded. He sat in court on Wednesday bolt upright, in a dark blue suit, white shirt and red tie, nearly expressionless as the case against him was outlined.

Mr Vincent not only knew Cairns had fixed matches, but was involved in match-fixing himself under the direct orders of Cairns, Miss Wass said. In one statement he said, “I have never, ever cheated at cricket”.

Cairns had wanted Vincent to swear a statement for his defamation case to say that he wasn’t involved in match-fixing, as he was suing Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi for tweeting that he was a cheat.

“But Mr Cairns has been caught out – in a cricketing expression he has been caught at the boundary”.

Southwark crown court heard that Brendon McCullum, the current New Zealand captain, would claim that his predecessor tried to recruit him for match fixing.

“Over Skype, Mr Fitch-Holland told Vincent: “…between you and I we all know a few what is being said is clearly true”.

Top cricketers, including McCullum, Ricky Ponting, Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori, will be called to give evidence the court was told. He was offered money and a prostitute, both of which he declined.

While McCullum declined Cairns’ approach, Vincent did not have the same strength of character, the court heard.

Mr McCullum, she said, refused to have anything to do with it while Lou Vincent was “corrupted by him”.

The prosecution said it would present clear evidence Cairns was repeatedly involved in match-fixing in the ICL. He “got the impression during a trip to Dubai that Mr Cairns was working for someone in Dubai”.

Vincent “remembered four games in which he under performed on Cairns’s instructions”.

Chandigarh Lions captain Cairns was suspended by the ICL on 27 October 2008, with “the public reason given for his suspension was under-performance due to an ankle injury which put him in breach of contract”, Wass said.

Vincent cost Cairns “millions” by not scoring the runs he had been told to and Cairns subsequently threatened to hit him with a bat. He later said he feel like “I’m being used again”. Ms Riley is also expected to give evidence about a dinner she and Vincent had with Cairns, his wife, Mel, and former England captain Andrew Flintoff in 2008.

There she was reassured by Cairns that “everything would be alright because everyone was doing it” in India.

Mr Cairns is also charged with perverting the court of justice. Mr Cairns won damages of $130,000 (£90,000).

The court will hear from about 50 witnesses including McCullum and Vincent during a trial which could last until November 20.

She said McCullum found it hard to say no there and then because Cairns was such an idol, and he was shocked at the proposal. “This evidence is not conclusive but it dovetails with Mr McCullum’s account”.

“What all of this recognised was that Chris Cairns was indeed guilty of match-fixing”, Ms Wass said. They then later met up at a cafe in Worcester, where a touring New Zealand team were playing against the county side.

It looked like both teams were trying to lose the game. Cairns was “far from pleased”, Ms Wass said.

Cairns also explained how to get the money back to New Zealand without questions being asked.

The trial before Justice Sweeney continues on Monday.