“It was a very brief phone conversation, probably less than five minutes”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting has revealed that he was present at the time when former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns contacted current Blackcaps skipper Brendon McCullum about a “business proposition” in 2008.

The “business proposition” was made to McCullum while he was playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2008 Indian Premier League (IPL).

“I was staying with Brendon in the team hotel in Kolkata in 2008 on the eve of the first IPL tournament,” Ponting told Southwark Crown Court in London via video link from Australia. “We were just sitting, sharing a drink, when he received a phone call – his phone rang. It was a very brief phone conversation, probably less than five minutes. He put the phone down, hung up and said it was Cairnsy and he ‘just made me a business proposition’.

“We stayed together for a short time. I didn’t ask any more questions … As soon as I heard it was about business, I wasn’t interested anymore.”

While giving evidence last week, McCullum claimed that Cairns, who has been charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the court during a libel trial, invited him to his hotel room, where the former New Zealand all-rounder allegedly spoke about match-fixing.

Ponting was also asked by Orlando Pownall QC, for the defence, whether he understood terms like “spot-fixing” and “spread betting”.

Responding to the question, Ponting said: “Right now I would; in 2008, maybe not as much.”

The trial continues.