N.Z’s Cairns to fight perjury claim

AFP, Wellington :
New Zealand cricketing great Chris Cairns said Friday that British police were set to charge him with perjury over match-fixing allegations and vowed to clear his name.
Former all-rounder Cairns has acknowledged previously that he is under investigation by British authorities for alleged fixing, but vehemently denied any wrong-doing.
The 44-year-old confirmed prosecutors had told him they intend to charge him with perjury and he would travel to Britain later this month to prove his innocence, New Zealand media reported.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed, however, at least there will now be an opportunity to face my accusers in an open forum, with some rigour and proper process around that, so that I can clear my name once and for all,” he said in a statement cited by Fairfax Media and TVNZ.
Cairns’ former team-mate, Lou Vincent, who was banned for life earlier this year, has alleged that a world-famous international dubbed “Player X” lured him into a murky world of corruption that included offers of cash and sex to rig matches.