Cairns' wife denies match-fixing conversation took place

Mel Cairns, the wife of former New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns, has denied that an alleged discussion about match-fixing in a Manchester bar ever took place.

The jury in Chris Cairns' perjury trial had previously been told about a night out in Manchester in 2008, when Eleanor Riley, the former wife of Lou Vincent, one of the main prosecution witnesses, gave evidence that Cairns had said he was confident he would get away with fixing because "everyone was doing it in India".

Mel Cairns, who was appearing via video link, was present on the night, which involved several hours of drinking. Asked by Cairns' barrister Orlando Pownall, QC, whether there had been any discussion of fixing, she replied: "Absolutely not."

Vincent was playing for Lancashire at the time, having previously been involved with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) alongside Cairns, where he said he was under "direct orders" to fix matches.

Chris Cairns is accused of perjury and perverting the course of justice during his 2012 libel case against Lalit Modi. He denies all charges.

Mel and Chris Cairns met in 2008, when he was still married to his previous wife. They subsequently lived together in Dubai, where Cairns has said he was looking to get involved in the diamond trade. The couple were married in 2010 and have two children.

It was put to Mel Cairns by the crown prosecutor, Sasha Wass, QC, that she was lying to protect her husband. Wass had previously alleged that the money Cairns was paid by an Indian diamond company was "a reward for fixing cricket matches".

Mel Cairns said: "I would never lie to help my husband in court."

An Australian who played college basketball in the US, Mel Cairns works with professional athletes in sports marketing and management. She said she "absolutely would not have a relationship" with Chris Cairns if match-fixing had been discussed after they had first met.

Mel Cairns was giving evidence over video from the couple's home in Canberra because she said they could not afford for her to travel, although she had wanted to be with Cairns during the trial, which began more than four weeks ago.

"It broke my heart to watch Chris walk every day, alone to and from court, and knowing he was going home alone by himself," she said.

The trial continues.