Chris Cairns to be charged with perjury

Former New Zealand test cricketer Chris Cairns is to be charged by the Metropolitan Police for perjury.

Cairns confirmed that the UK's Crown Prosecution Service had contacted him today after the Herald learned from sources close to the investigation that he was about to be charged.

Cairns released a statement this afternoon, after refusing to speak to the Herald, saying he was "extremely disappointed" and that he would be flying to the UK to clear his name "once and for all". He said that he had been notified he would be formally charged in London on September 25.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed. However, at least there will now be an opportunity to face my accusers in an open forum, with some rigor and proper process around that, so that I can clear my name once and for all," he said in his statement.

"I hope that, through this forum, significant additional information will be flushed out that will help people to better assess the situation, as well as the character and motives of the parties involved.

"I wish this wasn't the situation - having been to Court before, I know what lies ahead and how gruelling it will be and how tough it is on my family - but I have nothing to hide and I will do whatever it takes to once again prove my innocence. I will continue to co-operate fully with the authorities, including voluntarily travelling to the UK."

A spokesman for the Met Police said no statement would be made until that time.

Chris Cairns in action for New Zealand in 2005. Photo / Getty Images

Cairns has denied any wrongdoing and described match-fixing allegations against him as "despicable lies".

New Zealand Cricket said that it acknowledged the decision to lay perjury charges.

"These charges, quite different from proceedings conducted by cricket authorities into match-fixing and corruption, will now be tested in a British court of law and be subject to the normal processes of a criminal trial," it said in a statement.

"Accordingly, NZC will not make any comment on the matter until such time all proceedings have been concluded."

Cairns' file has been with the Crown Prosecution Service since the Met Police, whose representatives have travelled to New Zealand several times over the past year, recently wrapped up their investigation.

The perjury charge stems from a High Court libel trial in London when the former all-rounder won damages of £90,000 and costs against Lalit Modi, the former boss of the Indian Premier League.

Modi had tweeted that the reason Cairns had been expelled from the now-defunct Indian Cricket League was because of match-fixing.

Cairns left the ICL's Chandigarh Lions in 2008, with the official reason given as an undeclared injury.

Since then, allegations have surfaced that Cairns was involved in match-fixing with Chandigarh teammates Lou Vincent and Daryl Tuffey.

Vincent has admitted his role and recently received 11 life bans from the England and Wales Cricket Board for fixing during limited overs games in county cricket.

Chris Cairns at Auckland airport after returning from London on May 30. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Cairns and Tuffey have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Tuffey provided a character statement for Cairns in his libel trial against Modi.

Cairns' friend, lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland - who gave evidence on his behalf at the 2012 trial - was arrested and bailed in March under suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The charges are the culmination of a story the Herald broke on December 5, when we revealed up to three former New Zealand internationals were being investigated by the ICC for allegations of match-fixing.

Read the full document here: Cairns v Modi Judgment