Chris Cairns trial: Kyle Mills 'gobsmacked'

Chris Cairns outside Southwark Crown Court, Friday 16th October 2015. Photo / Chris Gorman

Former New Zealand bowler Kyle Mills says he was "gobsmacked" when Brendon McCullum told him Chris Cairns had approached him to fix cricket matches.

Mills was giving evidence to the Southwark Crown Court in London by video link from New Zealand late last night in the trial of Cairns on charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice.

On Thursday, McCullum told the court Cairns offered him up to $US180,000 ($262,000) in Kolkata for each game that he helped to fix.

Last night, Mills said Cairns was "a hero of mine growing up" and they played international cricket together. He had seen him only occasionally since Cairns' retirement.
Crown prosecutor Sasha Wass, QC, asked Mills if McCullum - who was a close friend - told him anything about something that happened during the Indian Premier League (IPL) during 2008.

Mills said he was on tour with McCullum with the New Zealand team in England shortly after the IPL tour.

"Not long after that tour, maybe in early 2009, Brendon McCullum mentioned that Chris Cairns had approached him about spot-fixing in cricket games," said Mills.

He could not recall details of the conversation but said he "was pretty gobsmacked at that statement alone".

Ms Wass asked whether the pair discussed reporting the alleged approach to cricket authorities.

"At that time, we were taken aback. Now in international cricket, we get really good education about it from the anti-corruption unit [in the International Cricket Council]."

Mills recalled a meeting with John Rhodes, from the anti-corruption unit, and the New Zealand team around 2010 or 2011.

After that presentation from Mr Rhodes, Mills said, he and McCullum discussed the alleged approach from Cairns.

"We said, 'Mate, you've got to tell John Rhodes about that approach Cairns made'."

Under cross-examination from Cairns' lawyer, Orlando Pownall, QC, Mills agreed that McCullum mentioned only the alleged approach from Cairns in England, not the alleged approach in India.

He could not recall if McCullum told him that Lou Vincent or Daryl Tuffey were allegedly matchfixing with Cairns, according to what McCullum told him.

"I'm 100 per cent certain [that McCullum alleged Cairns had approached him]. I'm not 100 per cent certain about Lou Vincent or Daryl Tuffey."

In giving evidence yesterday, McCullum conceded he did not mention Vincent or Tuffey in any official statements until last year.

Mr Pownall also questioned Mills on why he didn't report what McCullum had told him about Cairns, which could be a breach of the anti-corruption code for players.

Mills said education about corruption in sport had improved since McCullum told him about the alleged approach from Cairns.

The next witnesses expected to give evidence overnight were Andre Adams, another former New Zealand player, and Lou Vincent's former wife, Ellie Riley.