New Zealand cricket legend Chris Cairns faced a perjury trial in London after being accused of lying about his involvement in match fixing during a previous defamation case.
Chris Cairns, one of New Zealand's greatest all-rounders with 218 Test wickets and over 3,000 Test runs, faced a perjury trial at London's Southwark Crown Court in 2015. The charges stemmed from a 2012 defamation case in which Cairns had sued Lalit Modi, the founder of the IPL, for tweeting that Cairns was involved in match fixing. Cairns won that defamation case and was awarded $130,000 in damages.
However, prosecutors alleged that Cairns had lied under oath during the defamation trial when he denied involvement in match fixing. The prosecution's case relied heavily on the testimony of Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum, both former New Zealand teammates. McCullum testified that Cairns had approached him about match fixing in 2008 during the Indian Cricket League.
After a lengthy trial, Cairns was acquitted of perjury on 30 November 2015. The jury found that the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that Cairns had lied. His co-accused, lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland, was also acquitted of perverting the course of justice.
Despite the acquittal, the trial caused enormous damage to Cairns' reputation and left lingering questions. The case cost millions in legal fees and took years to resolve. It highlighted the difficulty of prosecuting fixing-related offenses in courts of law, where the standard of proof is far higher than in sporting tribunals.
Acquitted of perjury charges in November 2015. However, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit continued to view him unfavorably.
Cricket Canada
12 May 2026
ICC suspended six months of funding to Cricket Canada over governance failures and financial misreporting — 63% of their total revenue.
Multiple franchises
8 May 2026
The IPL's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) submitted a formal report to the BCCI in May 2026 flagging "certain anomalies" observed across the league stage: unauthorised persons had been seen in the team dugout, on the team bus, and at team hotels during IPL matches in apparent breach of anti-corruption Standard Operating Procedures. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed the report publicly and warned that "very stringent action" would be taken if violations continued. Separately, the BCCI tightened protocols after reports that certain franchise owners had been seen mingling with players in restricted areas — a specific interaction prohibited under the anti-corruption framework.
Various county sides
1865-08-01
Despite MCC's attempts to reduce gambling on cricket through the 1840s and 1850s, county cricket in the 1860s still operated in a culture where betting was widespread and where allegations of arranged results circulated freely among those closest to the game. Several county fixtures of the decade generated suspicion among contemporaries that the outcome had been agreed in advance, though the absence of formal investigation meant that no players were ever charged.