Brendon McCullum Reports Chris Cairns Approach

In what became one of the most significant anti-corruption reports in cricket history, Brendon McCullum informed New Zealand Cricket that Chris Cairns had approached him about match fixing during the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2008. McCullum's report was filed shortly after the approach and was kept confidential for several years.

McCullum stated that Cairns, one of New Zealand's greatest all-rounders, had tried to recruit him into a fixing arrangement during the ICL. McCullum refused and reported the approach. His testimony later became a key piece of evidence in the legal proceedings surrounding Cairns, including the perjury trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2015.

Testifying in the Cairns perjury trial was one of the most difficult experiences of McCullum's career. He was effectively accusing a former teammate and national hero of corruption. McCullum was emotional on the witness stand and faced aggressive cross-examination. Despite the pressure, he maintained his account.

McCullum's actions were widely praised and he became the poster child for the ICC's anti-corruption reporting system. His willingness to report a senior teammate and then testify in court demonstrated the kind of courage the system required to function. It showed that even the most uncomfortable reports needed to be made.