Cricket: Cairns still trying to clear name

Chris Cairns. Photo / Greg Bowker

Chris Cairns, one of New Zealand's foremost cricketers, says he is locked out of the game and is still struggling to clear his name, over two months on from allegations of match fixing in the Indian Cricket League.

The former Black Cap has issued proceedings in the United Kingdom and India against Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi. The objective is to force Modi to produce evidence justifying the claims that prevented Cairns being part of the IPL auction in January.

"Unfortunately the procedure still takes time which is frustrating," Cairns says.

"He made the allegations and won't front up in court. That's all we're trying to initiate. We've issued emails to the BCCI [Indian Board] and the IPL but had nothing back. He's a powerful man but you can't go around saying what he did in public. There's no truth in those allegations, whatsoever.

"There was a potential opportunity [for Cairns] to get into the IPL and even now I don't think I would have been out of my league. However, it's not about me missing a contract. They're completely within their rights to accept or deny anyone. This is about the personal attack on me by Mr Modi."

Cairns made a fleeting visit to New Zealand this week ahead of his third wedding, to Australian Melanie Croser, in a fortnight. Over the course of the interview he refuted a number of rumours which have swirled about his name in recent times - but which cannot be reproduced here for legal reasons.

"I don't deal in pub talk. One thing you learn when you're in the public eye is that you are exposed to such rumours constantly. The difficulty is often the 'sources' cease to exist. Throughout my life I've dealt with plenty of rumour-mongering and you live with it. No matter how distasteful, they have rarely worried me."

What concerns Cairns most is that his involvement in cricket has almost been restricted to nil, due to the power Modi wields.

"People are wary of being involved and can't be seen to support me, so I'm very much on my own in this battle, but that doesn't deter me. I know what is right and believe in what I'm doing. I always have."

The same scenario has affected former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Mongia , Cairns' teammate in the ICL's Chandigarh Lions. Mongia was also suspended on disciplinary grounds after it was argued he knew of an undisclosed Cairns' ankle injury at the start of the final season of the ICL.

"To argue there was match-fixing is nonsense. Now we're both suffering and there's nothing we can seem to do about it," says Mongia. "So I'm also in the process of trying to clear my name. Once that is done, I'm back. I'm still going through some meetings with people from the BCCI so hopefully it will soon get resolved.

"Chris is a good mate. We've spoken on and off but, with him living in Dubai, we don't see each other often."

But does Cairns feel he's been left isolated and vulnerable by former Black Caps team-mates?

"Not really. I understand people want to make a living in the game. They can't be seen to be involved if they want a future in cricket.

"So I haven't contacted anyone on this for support. I made the decision to go into a different field [the diamond industry] and effectively shift jobs. You lose contact but, when you catch up, you are reunited and share wonderful memories."

Cairns' says his latest vocation means there is no place for cricket right now but he still would like to be involved with the game again, once he has cleared his name.

"I've been in Dubai for a year and a half and recently did a gemology course. It's an industry standard-type thing and I've basically gone back to school. It's something I thoroughly enjoy and Dubai's a good base because Africa's seven hours away and India's only three. But it's been tough in the recession where luxury commodities like diamonds are the first to get hit.

"I watch the Black Caps from afar, but I would only put back into the game if asked. If that happens it'd be fantastic, but I'm not expecting it any time soon."