Cairns' wife breaks down in London libel case hearing
Retired New Zealand cricketer continues his London High Court action over allegedly defamatory comments tweeted by the head of the Indian Premier League.
The wife of former Black Cap Chris Cairns revealed to London's High Court today that she questioned her husband about match-fixing rumours in 2008. Mel Croser was visibly upset as she answered questions in the London High Court yesterday.
"There was a time when I asked [Cairns, about match-fixing]. It was the most horrible question I've ever asked," Ms Croser told the court.
Mr Cairns, 41, is suing former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi over a post he made on Twitter in 2010 - as reported in NBR.
The former cricketer has alleged a Twitter message posted by Modi accusing him of match-fixing in the 2008 season of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) was defamatory. The retired international cricketer claims that his achievements have been turned to "dust" by Modi's claim, made in January 2010. Modi is defending the action on the grounds of justification, maintaining that the charge is true.
Mr Cairns denied various allegations put to him by Ronald Thwaites QC, for Modi, under hours of questioning on the second day of the judge-only trial in London. The court heard that Cairns denied to directors of the Indian Cricket League in October 2008 that he was involved in match fixing.
Thwaites alleges that Mr Cairns received two cash payments of $NZ100,000 into his Dubai bank account shortly before the third edition of the ICL in late 2008. Cairns denied any imputation of wrongdoing, saying: "You [Thwaites] are deeming it as the first payment before a major tournament … I am deeming it as the first installment of future occupation."
Cairns repeatedly asserted to the judge that "my answer is, I am not a cheat. Sir, I am not a cheat."
Cairns was suspended from the IPL in 2008, but has never publicly discussed the reason for his dismissal.
Stephen Allely
Thu, 08 Mar 2012
Thu, 08 Mar 2012
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Cairns' wife breaks down in London libel case hearing
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