Atul Wassan hails McCullum for naming Cairns in spot-fixing

Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has lavished praise on New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum for revealing his former teammate Chris Cairns' name in spot-fixing before the London Court.

Wassan felt delighted to see McCullum's honesty, but, however, said there is nothing new in it as the matter was already known.

The 47-year-old said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) should take strict action against this, adding that the punishment have not been harsh enough.

Wassan suggested that the players, who indulge in these kinds of illegal activities, should be barred from cricket for life instead of allowing them to make a comeback.

Earlier, McCullum had told a London jury that Cairns had approached him thrice to get involved in spot fixing, and also claimed that he didn't report the first approach because he considered the former all-rounder as a friend.

Cairns, who had represented New Zealand in 62 Tests and 215 ODIs, saw his reputation take a beating when former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi accused him of match-fixing while he was playing for the Chandigarh Lions in the now defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008.

While Cairns is charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, his lead adviser Andrew Fitch-Holland is accused of perverting the course of justice. However, both have denied the charges. (ANI)

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