'Fleming, Vettori gave statements on fixing'

Chris Cairns has revealed that former New Zealand captains Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori have given statements to the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the match fixing issue.

Cairns, who described the allegations against him as “absurd, bizarre and scary,” held a news conference in Auckland on Friday on his return to New Zealand from London, where he was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police and investigators from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

Reading from a prepared statement, Cairns said he had been told Fleming, Vettori and fast bowler Kyle Mills had joined former batsman Lou Vincent and current New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum in making statements to the ICC.

“Based on the information I was provided in London, I now understand that there were two past players and one current New Zealand player who Mr McCullum said he spoke to about the alleged approach,” Cairns said. “These three ex or current New Zealand players have made no direct accusation against me.”

Cairns identified the players as Fleming, Vettori and Kyle Mills, the brother of New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association head Heath Mills.

“Two of these men made statements supporting Mr McCullum’s claim that he spoke to them.

The third man told investigators his memory was foggy and he could not make a statement in support of Mr McCullum,” Cairns told the news conference. “It is also significant that none of those players seem to have spoken to anyone at the ICC or any other organization about my alleged conversation with Mr McCullum until this year, 2014.”