McCullum ‘comfortable’ with evidence

DUNEDIN: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is “very comfortable” with the evidence he gave against former all-rounder Chris Cairns, who was found not guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice in a trial last month.

Cairns had been accused of falsely claiming he had never cheated at cricket when he won £90 000 in damages from Lalit Modi, the former boss of the IPL, in a libel action three years ago.

McCullum was one of two former teammates, along with selfconfessed match-fixer Lou Vincent, who gave evidence against Cairns in the trial, accusing his predecessor as Test skipper of twice asking him to fix matches.

Cairns was found not guilty on November 30 after an eight-week trial in Southwark Crown Court.

“I was very comfortable with the evidence I gave in London and I stand by that evidence as well,” McCullum said yesterday. “For me it’s not about whether someone is guilty or not guilty. My role was to give evidence in the trial.

“People will have their own opinions on what unfolded. I was comfortable with it, and as I say it’s time to move on and focus on a bit of cricket.”

McCullum, who will lead New Zealand in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Dunedin today, is scheduled to play his 98th Test match at University Oval. – Reuters