`Rod Marsh did not sign a bat, which had Cairns autograph`

Melbourne: Former Australia cricketer Rod Marsh had once refused to sign a bat, which was carrying an autograph by Chris Cairns due to Kiwi player`s alleged role in match-fixing, it was said in a UK court.

Cairns has filed a libel suit against sacked IPL Chairman Lalit Modi for writing on his twitter page that Cairns was rejected by the Indian Premier League because of his involvement in match-fixing in ICL. Cairns said his life would be for ever "tainted" by the 24-word message posted by Modi and asked for damages through a case in UK. According to a report in media, after Cairns` dismissal from Indian Cricket League (ICL) team the Chandigarh Lions in 2008 and before Modi`s Twitter post in January 2010, Marsh refused to sign a bat that carried Cairns` autograph, Modi`s barrister Ronald Thwaites QC told the UK High Court. "Is it correct that he (Marsh) refused to be associated with some cricket bat for charity which had been signed by you?" Thwaites asked Cairns, suggesting that claims of corruption against the New Zealander were well-known among the cricketing fraternity. "Yes, which is why I had it out with him ... he came around and we had a beer," Cairns replied, according to `Australian`. Cairns said the issue with Marsh - an Australian Test player in the 1970s and `80s and now national selector – has since been resolved. Thwaites said Cairns` claim he was dismissed from the side due to a recurring ankle injury was "a cover story" and that about 100,000 pounds paid into Cairns` Dubai bank account was payment for match-fixing. The court was told Lions` unofficial vice-captain under Cairns, Dinesh Mongia, was also involved in the alleged match fixing and that the one-time Indian representative player was also dismissed from the side as a result. PTI