‘Match-fixing allegations against Cairns ‘miles away’ from being proven’

Wellington: Match-fixing allegations against former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns are "miles away" from being proven, a court has been told.

"In this case Mr Cairns` future and his past achievements are on the line and we say that this extremely serious allegation against him is wholly untrue and the evidence against him is materially lacking in coherence and consistency," Cairns` barrister Andrew Caldecott said. "We say that on the evidence, to say that a case of fraud is established, it is miles away from the relevant cogency needed to prove it,” he added. Meanwhile, Justice David Bean retired from the London High Court to consider Cairns’ libel case against former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi. Cairns, 41, has sued Modi for his Twitter comment in January 2010 that referred to his "record in match fixing". Cairns maintains he was dismissed from the ICL because he failed to declare an ongoing ankle injury. Cairns denies the allegations and said he was made a "scapegoat" for the corrupt actions of others. He also said that payments totalling 100,000 paid into his Dubai bank account in 2008 was for work with a rough-diamond traders business rather than for match-fixing but was unable to produce documentation. The judgment is expected this month. ANI