Chris Cairns back in court

Chris Cairns says he will fully contest the allegations against him. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns is due to appear in court in London today.

Cairns has been charged with perjury over a 2012 libel action in which he sued the former chief of the Indian Premier League, Lalit Modi, over claims he was involved in match-fixing.

Standing trial alongside him on a charge of perverting the course of justice is Andrew Fitch-Holland, a London barrister who appeared during the Modi libel case.

Both men have said they will be fully contesting the allegations against them.

Today's appearance at the Old Bailey is for a plea and case management hearing.

Cairns won £90,000 in damages when he sued multimillionaire Modi, who made spot-fixing allegations on Twitter in 2010.

He was arrested and charged by the London Metropolitan Police in September last year, and remains on unconditional bail until a High Court trial scheduled to take place in October.

He is accused of lying during his written testimony in the libel action when he said he had "never cheated at cricket and would never contemplate doing so".

Modi has also issued legal proceedings against Cairns to claw back $4.9 million in damages and costs.

Prosecution barrister Esther Schutzer-Weissmann had asked for the trial to be held off until October to allow several cricketers to give evidence during a break in the international calendar.

Brendon McCullum is understood to be among those providing evidence.