Cricket: Cairns sues Modi for libel

Chris Cairns says his sacking from the Chandigarh Lions in 2008 was due to fitness issues. Photo / Dean Purcell

Former Black Caps allrounder Chris Cairns has issued a writ against Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi for libel, Britain's Telegraph newspaper reported.

Modi recently rejected Cairns' submission to join the IPL auction, intimating Cairns had been sacked by the rebel Indian Cricket League because of match fixing.

This was strongly denied by Cairns who said he had no alternative but to take court action against Modi.

"Until he retracts what he said, my name will always be tainted by the cheat label. Had he really had any concerns about my probity as a sportsman he could have called me at any time or instructed any of his executives to do the same," said Cairns.

"He chose not. Instead he chose to make his allegation in public and to repeat it in public. For any doubting Thomases out there: I have never rigged a match."

Cairns insists his sacking from ICL club Chandigarh Lions in 2008 was due to fitness issues. Before that year's tournament Cairns, whose sister Louise died in a train accident in 1993, had walked 1000km for his own foundation, which raises rail-safety awareness.

"I was knackered, my knees were shot," the 39-year-old said.

"I couldn't run for a week-and-a-half. I played three games but couldn't bowl. I was nowhere near fit."

Cairns now lives in Dubai and accepts he will probably never play again.

"All this is about now is my being able to walk comfortably around grounds like Lord's and Trent Bridge," he said.

"Mr Modi has extinguished that at the moment. I doubt my case against such an important man will cause him to lose much sleep. But for me, it is the centre of my universe."

Cairns played 62 tests, 215 one-dayers and two Twenty20s for New Zealand. He made his test debut against Australia in 1989 and finished his international career with a Twenty20 match against West Indies in February 2006.

- NZ HERALD STAFF, NZPA