Ex-New Zealand cricket star Chris Cairns denies perverting course of justice

Chris Ciarns faces a trial in October over the claims (Picture: PA)
Paul Cheston5 October 2015
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Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns today pleaded not guilty to a new charge of perverting the course of justice in a libel action he brought in the UK in 2012.

Carins, 44 who also played for Nottinghamshire, also denied at the Old Bailey a charge of perjury linked to the same case.

He and barrister Andrew Fitch-Holland will stand trial on October 5 in a four week hearing in which some of the most famous cricketers in the world are expected to give evidence.

The allegations revolve around the High Court case which ended with Cairns, 44, being awarded £90,000 in damages.

He had sued Lalit Modi, founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, over an accusation of match-fixing made on Twitter in January 2010.

Carins, 44 of Auckland, is now accused of lying in the court hearing that he had never been involved in cheating and would never consider it.

In the new charge he is accused of asking fellow former New Zealand Test cricketer Lou Vincent in a Skype conversation in March 2011 for a false witness statement in support of his libel action.

Fitch-Holland, 49, of Manchester, is also accused of perverting the course of justice but does not face the perjury charge. He has pleaded not guilty.

In 2007 and 2008, Cairns captained the Chandigarh Lions in three competitions in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which flourished briefly before the ascendancy of the IPL.

The allegation made by Mr Modi related to the second and third of these competitions, between March and April 2008 and October and November that year.

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