Chris Cairns' wife in tears at London court hearing

London, Mar.8 (ANI): Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns' wife, Mel, has said that lawyers asking her husband whether he had been involved in fixing cricket matches was "the most horrible question I have ever had to ask".

Cairns had replied "absolutely not".

Mel Cairns gave evidence on the third day of her husband's libel suit against deposed Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi in the High Court of London, while Chris Cairns' adviser, Andrew Fitch-Holland, also appeared on the witness stand.

According to stuff.co.nz, Cairns is suing Modi over a 2010 tweet that alleged the New Zealander had been barred from the IPL because of an involvement with match fixing during his time in the rival Indian Cricket League.

His case is that the allegation was "wholly untrue" and a libel, which would destroy what he had achieved in a 20-year career if uncorrected.

Cairns was captain of Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League Twenty20 competition but had his contract terminated in October 2008, during the third edition of the tournament, along with his Lions teammate Dinesh Mongia, who has been accused of being a co-conspirator.

The official line was that Cairns had breached his contract for failing to disclose an injury.

Cricinfo reported that there were tears in her eyes as she answered a question from Modi's lawyer, Ronald Thwaites QC, as to whether she believed him.

"When something is said, over and over, accusing the man that you love of something ... Of course I want to believe him and I do believe him," she said.

Fitch-Holland, the last witness to appear for Cairns, said suggestions and internet rumours Cairns had been involved in match fixing had made him "barking" angry.

Cairns became aware of online gossip linking his departure with match-fixing and the rumours had appeared on a "plethora of fan-based websites across the world," Fitch-Holland said.

Cairns was concerned, but Fitch-Holland said he advised that he "did not think it was a good idea to call out the big guns" at that time because it would have been a "disproportionate response to low-level, unspecified tittle-tattle".

However, allegations made by Modi were different, he said.

Cairns, 41, played 62 tests and 215 ODIs between 1989 and 2006 and is regarded as one of New Zealand's best ever all-rounders. (ANI)