London High Court hears Cairns-Modi match fixing case

London -  The High Court in London heard in the first Twitter libel case regarding the match-fixing allegation against former Kiwi all rounder Chris Cairns, made in January 2010  through a tweet by Indian Premier League founder Lalit Modi.

Andrew Caldecott QC, who is representing Cairns, told the court that his client's 'future and past achievements are on the line'.
 
Cairns was dismissed from a 1 million dollar contract in the midst of rumours of match fixing, which three of his Indian Cricket League's Chandigarh Lions team mates this week suggested  Cairns was guilty of via video link to the court from India.

In his four-hour closing comments Caldecott refuted suggestions of unlawful activity by Cairns.

"Mr. Cairns readily accepts that if he cheated once or he got others to cheat once he loses the case," Stuff.co.nz quoted Caldecott, as saying in the court.

Caldecott said that Cairns' argument that he left because of an undisclosed ankle injury, that left him in breach of contract, was right.

"There is no reason at all to disbelieve Mr. Cairns' account of the meeting at an Indian hotel in October 2008 that led to his exit from the third edition of the ICL," he said.

Modi's counsel Ronald Thwaites asserted that the ICL had sacked Cairns after several Indian players made statements that the New Zealander had forced them to perform badly on the field.
 
Thwaites had accused Cairns of 'diabolical' plot to corrupt young Indian players into match fixing by threatening them with the loss of their places in the Lions team that Cairns captained.

The two QCs will let Justice Bean know their written submissions on the amount of any possible damages by 22 March.