Cairns' early exit from 'defunct' ICL 'under spotlight' after confirmation of ICC's fixing investigation

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns' early departure from the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) is reportedly set to come under the spotlight after he confirmed that British and New Zealand police had joined an ICC investigation into allegations of match-fixing.

The circumstances of Cairns' exit from ICL in 2008 was the focus of a highly publicised British high court libel case in 2012 with Cairns winning damages against Indian cricket powerbroker Lalit Modi.

According to Stuff.co.nz, following the arrest of his close friend and lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland, Cairns said the ICC had been in contact with him, adding that he had also been approached by 'representatives from the New Zealand and British police, working together'.

The report mentioned that Fitch-Holland confirmed Cairns' version of events that he was sacked by the ICL Chandigarh Lions team, which also included his former teammates Lou Vincent and Daryl Tuffey, not for match-fixing, but because he failed to disclose an injury.

The report further said that evidence was submitted regarding an important international telephone conversation between Cairns and Fitch-Holland on the night the ICL terminated his playing contract and Fitch-Holland said that at no point during the conversation did Cairns mention or refer to match fixing.

Although the presiding judge said that he accepted Fitch-Holland's 'evidence about the conversation with Cairns', he however, noted that Cairns did not raise match-fixing allegations in a discussion the same night with his wife Melanie on why his contract had been terminated.

Tuffey also provided evidence on Cairns' behalf, saying he had no reason to suspect that Cairns or any of his Lions team mates were involved in 'match fixing or cheating of any kind'.