“Brendon said Chris Cairns had asked him to spot-fix on two occasions”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori has told Southwark Crown Court that he was “shocked and angry” when he heard that Chris Cairns tried to recruit current captain Brendon McCullum in his match-fixing operation in 2008.

Speaking via video link, Vettori revealed that McCullum told him about the approach during New Zealand’s tour of Bangladesh in 2010. On the very same tour, McCullum also mentioned that Cairns had approached ex-pace bowler Kyle Mills as well.

“Brendon said Chris Cairns had asked him to spot-fix on two occasions,” Vettori, who later admitted that he was not sure which year McCullum had told him about the approach, said. “Chris was one of my best friends in cricket, he was a mentor to me. To feel Brendon was put in that situation … I was stunned.”

Vettori also confirmed that he was present with McCullum when he met with John Rhodes, the Australasian head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit, in 2011. However, Vettori made it clear that he did not say anything when McCullum was speaking to Rhodes.

The trial continues.